


OH GOD NO!

by JayFeather2056



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Adorable Connor, Attempt at Humor, Connor Deserves Happiness, Gavin Reed Redemtion, Getting Together, M/M, Oblivous Connor, Out of Character, Weird Gavin Reed, internal weirdness
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-09
Updated: 2018-10-02
Packaged: 2019-07-10 02:51:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 41,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15940283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JayFeather2056/pseuds/JayFeather2056
Summary: “Oh shit!” Gavin said before flinging himself out of his chair and hiding behind the fucking door like a god damned lunatic. It was too early in the morning for this shit, and yet he slowly crouched down behind said door because… well....Why was he doing this?Rolling his eyes at himself, he leaned out around the corner, checking the break room for-FUCK!Gavin slid out of view again and held his breath, quietly hoping he wasn't spotted.Hank was making his coffee, grumpy and tired as usual, and that thing was in there with him, as per usual.





	1. OH GODDAMMIT!

**Author's Note:**

> Hopefully this is fun to read :)

“Oh shit!” Gavin said before flinging himself out of his chair and hiding behind the fucking door like a god damned lunatic. It was too early in the morning for this shit, and yet he slowly crouched down behind said door because… well.... _ Why was he doing this _ ?

Rolling his eyes at himself, he leaned out around the corner, checking the break room for-

FUCK! 

Gavin slid out of view again and held his breath, quietly hoping he wasn't spotted.

Hank was making his coffee, grumpy and tired as usual, and  _ Connor _ was in there with him, as per usual. 

Gavin could hear him happily chirping away at the elder detective, talking about clouds of all fucking things, while finding a seat at a small round table, waiting on Hank to finish up his coffee. 

Gavin desperately looked around for a way out, but was just met with the wall and a corner, because he chose to hide behind the fucking door, when clearly he could have just walked out of the break room the moment he heard Connor’s voice-

“It really is amazing lieutenant, being able to see all those shapes.”

“Uh-huh.”

“We really should go cloud gazing, Lieutenant. I find it to be very relaxing. Oh! You could even bring a lunch.”

“Connor it's 9am in the fucking morning, can we talk about this after my coffee? I love that you’re finding hobbies and shit, but I need at least another hour to wake the fuck up.” 

The banging and rattling of drawers started as Hank looked for something

“Sure, Lieutenant! The creamer is in the right cabinet.” Connor said, voice helpful and kind.

It went quiet for a moment before; “Thanks, kid.”

Gavin was purple from holding his breath and he was sure his heart was loud enough for even Hank to hear. 

He was going to die here. 

Behind a door. 

Gavin’s eyesight was starting to blur and his head had long since started throbbing. Maybe his corpse would stink up the place and cause everyone so much misery, that they all quit. He grinned evilly.

Frowning, Gavin noted how quiet it had gotten. Maybe they left? 

Slowly leaning out, just so he could barely see past the door, he looked at the table Connor had been sitting at… empty. 

Whew. 

Letting out the noisiest sigh and taking loud breaths, Gavin got up and walked over to where he had been sitting, taking note that Connor had disposed of his coffee, assuming some lazy asshole hadn't cleaned up after himself. Well, fuck him too.

Footsteps sounded behind him and Gavin ignored whoever it was in favor of making a new coffee. Filling the cup up, Gavin thought about how stupid he was, hiding behind a fucking door…

He would do great things.

“Excuse me Detective Reed.”

Gavin fucking jumped like a little girl and whipped around at hearing the voice of his nightmares, only to come face to face with Connor. He jerked back and while he was at it, spilt his new coffee all over himself. It was searing hot, but Gavin had started holding his breath again (don't ask why, he doesn't fucking know) so he made no noise.

Connor was frowning at him, elegant eyebrows furrowed as he watched the detective. “I apologize, I  didn't mean to startle you. Hank just wanted some more creamer-”

Without waiting for Connor to finish, Gavin spun on his heel and walked (briskly) to the bathroom, not looking back towards Connor.

After getting to the safety of a locked stall, Gavin shakily sighed in relief, taking a moment to think back on the situation. He decided to pretend it hadn't happened.

Unlocking and leaving the bathroom stall, he went to the sink and started to wipe at the coffee with a wet paper towel.

If anyone asked about it, he’d tell them to fuck off.

Gavin glared at his reflection, and started talking to it. 

“You fucking pussy. It's not like you have anything to be scared of. He’s a fucking piece of plastic! Come on, Reed. If you keep acting like this, you'll damage your badass rep.”

He frowned, trying to figure out what to do about Connor.

Ever since he got back, Gavin has been avoiding the ever living shit out of Connor and It's gotten to the point where Gavin habitually does it. At first it was because of the asskicking he got from Connor, and the fact he had been atrocious to the android before he “woke” up, calling him names and physically assaulting him. Gavin was still surprised Connor hasn't reported it. Now Gavin was just plain nervous around him, and went to great lengths to avoid the android. He wasn't sure if it was because the ass kicking, the way Gavin felt guilt over how he treated a apparently sentient being, or the fact that said being had the ability to get him fired. 

Gavin loves his job. It was the only thing he had in life, that and a fucking cat that never stopped bitching at him. Fucking pitiful.

Whatever. All Gavin knows right now is that he’s never willingly flung himself behind a door to avoid someone. This Connor thing was getting out of hand.

Before the revolution, he had been all talk. Making sure the Android knew just who was in charge and how said person felt regarding androids like himself. Gavin had no preservations about being a dick to Connor.

At the time, it had been pretty satisfying to finally put one of those things in its place.

But then he had threatened to kill Connor and actually attempted to, before getting his ass kicked pretty quickly. 

Gavin rubbed at his neck where Connor hit him, still remembering how he thought he was going to die. Gavin shuddered recalling Connor’s face. He had shown no emotions, and his eyes; blank and suffocating. 

After he woke up from that prompt ass handing, he found that things had quickly spiraled out of control. 

The revolution had started.

And eventually the androids won. 

And now they were officially a people.

And Gavin was fucked. He had fucked up.

He had not expected to see the RK800 ever again, considering that whole androids having human jobs debate. And Hello, androids were free to do as they pleased. Very few stayed and did what they were designed for. 

Just when he started to convince himself he would never have to see Connor again, Hank showed up a week later with a deviant Connor, still in his suit, and talked Captain Fowler into hiring him on.

The Captain told everyone when announcing their newest android detective that they need someone to represent androids, because in the following years there would be alot of human-android violence. Gavin had tried not to curse too loudly as he leaned against his desk, furthest away from Connor

The Captain was right, however. 

It has been six months since the revolution and more than half their cases were android murders. Sometimes it was an android perp and a human victim, but 97% of the time it was the other way around. 

Some humans just couldn't accept this abrupt new way of life. Gavin wasn't really one of them per say, he honestly gave no fucks about the situation, just as long as his job wasn't being threatened.

Which, not really, but kinda. Connor wasn't the only android at the precinct any more. A female AV500 worked as a receptionist, and a AX400 worked on the forensics team. And those were just two Gavin’s met.

The Detroit police department was somewhat a pioneer in Android equality, setting an example for others by hiring androids and yadda yadda yadda…

Markus actually came down to the station with the fucking Mayor and started talking politcal shit with Captain Fowler. And it helped that Connor knew Markus personally, which helped form those connections.

Everyone had flocked to get a chance to see the fucking ‘Robo Jesus’, except Gavin who was too busy avoiding Connor. Plus side, he got some very good alone time with Chris’s desk plant. They were good friends now.

Gavin shook his head to get rid of his foolish thoughts, and focused back on his shirt. He should just fucking deem it a lost cause. 

He rubbed at it few times with the paper towel, getting nowhere with the stain. Gavin sighed again, giving up on his shirt. He’ll just walk around looking like an idiot. Frowning, he threw the wadded up paper towels he was using to wipe at his shirt in the trash can, and zipped his jacket up.

Good enough, he always looked like shit anyways.

Exiting the bathroom, Gavin headed straight for his desk, which was in the corner, away from people. Not really something he planned on, people just hated being around him.

He wasn't popular among his co-workers. In fact, one might say he was the least popular.

Not sure why.

That was a lie. He knew exactly why. 

In his quest to be a badass, he had… adopted... a personality that wasn't…Nice, friendly, or welcoming.  

Yep, not things he was known for. 

The only person next to him was Chris. His partner. And he was a hostage to his partnership and had to be around Gavin, He didn't actually like the man. 

Grumbling about his coffee, Gavin sat down at his desk, logging on to his computer. He started sorting through his emails and reports, deleting some unnecessary things and adding in some left out details of the arrest he made yesterday. He looked up for a moment, noticing Chris was in a circle of friends, laughing and talking.

Gavin wasn’t a jealous person, especially when it came to stupid shit like someone’s popularity ... which is why he scowled at the happy people.

Fucking upbeat pansy ass fucking puss-

“Detective Reed?”

“Argh! FUCK. What the fuck?” Gavin hit his knee on the desk with a painful thump and knocked a whole cup of pens off his desk, because that's who he is in his soul.

The pens scattered on the floor, those fuckers, and Gavin shut his eyes and breathed deeply through his nose. 

“Goddammit.”

“Let me assist you. I apologize for startling you, it was not my intention.” Connor said as he bent down to pick up Gavin’s pens. 

“Fuck off plastic, leave them alone. What the fuck are you doing over here?” Gavin somehow managed to talk like himself. The urge to run away from Connor rose up. This happened to be the first time he’s actually talked to Connor directly since the android beat his ass. 

The android must have taken note, because his eyebrows rose and he stood up with a pen in his hand. 

“Well, detective Reed, the Captain has asked to see us in his office.” Gavin refused to lean away like a fucking pansy chicken when Connor stood closer than needed. The Android’s LED spun yellow as he noticed Gavin’s heart rate increase. Something that happened often, Connor noted to himself. 

Connor looked down at the pen is his hand, analyzing it before setting it down on Gavin’s desk. “Chewing on pens is a sign of nervous behaviour. Do you get nervous often, detective?”

What in the fuck is this? Why was the android asking him that.

He was trying to psych Gavin out! He knew it! The Android had it in for him.

“Fuck off, Robo freak!” he yelled at Connor before snatching his grossly chewed on pen up. He hid it in a drawer like it was some kind of evidence.

Connor watched him, pretty brown eyes assessing. Gavin was a strange human. No matter how hard the android tried, he couldn't get a good handle on the detective. He was so unpredictable.

Gavin glared up at him before jerking his chair back and standing up. “Fuck off.”

Connor frowned and stepped back, straightening his tie. “Detective, as I said before, the Captain wants to see us. He said right away.”

Gavin scowled at Connor, who raised his hands up in a harmless gesture. “If the Captain wants to see me, he can fucking get me himself, not send an asshole like you.” 

“Detective Reed, It would-”

“REED, CONNOR GET YOUR ASSES IN HERE!”

Both Gavin and Connor jumped a little at Fowler’s booming voice, as did every other cop in the building. The captain was not the most patient of people, and Connor immediately started walking towards his office. Gavin relaxed as the proximity between himself and the android decreased, but became rigid again when he realized he would be in a small office with nobody but Connor and the police Captain. 

Gavin grumbled as he started walking, the eyes of everyone else following after him. Including Hank’s...yikes. Hank was scary when he wanted to be, not that Gavin would ever tell him.

As he neared the office, he noticed Connor waiting for him by the door. Gavin slowed his pace, walking towards the android reluctantly. Every joint in his body was screaming at him to turn around and leave, to avoid him. 

Gavin gave Connor a wide berth as he approached (he basically walked straight for the wall on the other side just to keep a 4 ft radius) and at the last moment he curved just to make it into the door. His shoulder bumped the door frame a bit, but that was ok. 

Connor gave him a funny look from where he was holding the door open politely for Gavin, and walked in behind the detective, shutting the door with a final thud. 

Gavin sped walked to the chair farthest from the door and sat down.

When he sat down and looked up, the Captain was watching him, same expression on his face as Connor’s. Gavin felt the need to pole vault over the chairs and run out the door. He glared at Fowler after a moment of his staring, and slumped down into his seat. 

“Well, why the fuck am I here?” Gavin snapped.

“That's enough out of you Reed! Connor sit the fuck down.” Fowler snapped back. He closed the case file he had opened and turned his body directly to them. 

Connor sat down and neatly folded his hands. Gavin restrained himself from leaning away.

“I am about to tell you something, and neither one of you will like it, but I swear on all in the name of holy, if I hear one word, ONE WORD!” He glanced at Gavin. “I will stick you on desk duty for the next year. Am I clear?”

“Yes Captain.” Connor's smooth voice answered him, Gavin rolled his eyes but nodded.

“Good.” Fowler fixed his eyes on Gavin. “Connor, you and Reed are going to be partners for the next two weeks.”

Gavin’s entire body immediately rejected the idea. He bolted up from his seat, body tense. “-...”

“ONE WORD!” Fowler snapped. Gavin choked down his protests, and Fowler pointedly looked at Gavin’s chair. The grumpy detective begrudgingly sunk back down into it. 

“May I ask why, Captain?” Connor somehow managed to ask the question without it sounding like a protest, Gavin was impressed at that.

“You may,” Fowler said, he looked towards Gavin again. “I know many of you think I don't pay attention to you, but I do. And I've noticed that you don't get along together. As a police  _ force,  _ everyone here has to have everyone else's backs. Gavin, I've been told you show a degree of racism towards androids.”

“I'm not racist-”

“Silence! Everyone else here is on board with Connor’s presence, everyone but you. And if you can't be apart of this team then there’s no room for you here anymore. You're a good cop Gavin, but you've been here years and no one I've spoken to can honestly call you a friend, not even Chris, your own partner. It’s time you get with the program and start acting like a teammate, because this in not a one man operation.”

Gavin was outraged, but he knew better than to talk back at this point. Fowler looked at him for a long moment, before turning to Connor. “Connor, you have adjusted well here, and I'm glad to see you've made positive relations with almost everyone here, however, I feel you are much to reliant on Hank. Some time away from him will be good for you. Reed here will be a good way for you to see a different perspective on things I think, and visa versa.”

“Yes Captain Fowler.” Connor said, but even he couldn’t keep the doubt out of his voice. Gavin shuddered thinking about having to spend time around the android. 

“Good. Dismissed. Send Hank and Chris in here.” 

Gavin was up and out of his seat as soon as he said dismissed. He stormed out the door and walked straight to his desk, not stopping to see if Connor left too. 

Once he reached his desk, he looked around for Chris, finding him in the same group of friends. Gavin grabbed his car keys off his desk, and walked towards the crowd.

“-And then I said…” 

“Chris!” Gavin said cutting off James, an older officer. “Cap wants to see you.” He said gruffly, storming past the group. “Now.” 

He didn't stop to look at Chris. 

Gavin walked out the main doors, dodging people as he walked. When he got to his car, an old white dodge charger in perfect condition, he unlocked it, opened the door and got in, locking it after him. 

He sunk down into his seat, letting out a sigh. 

Connor...as his partner? 

Great. He leaned and hit his head on the steering wheel.


	2. Day One, Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gavin and Connor's first day as partners. Thankfully they get a case right away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this lives up to the first chapter! I had no one to proof read it for me so idk

_ Connor walked towards him, eyes suffocating and empty. The hard floor beneath him was cold and unforgiving, and his body was in pain. As connor neared him, every insult he yelled at the android, every push and shove meant to harm him, came rushing back to the forefront of Gavin’s mind. He was suddenly reminded that he had never given the android a reason to spare him. He attacked first despite the android’s warning, and now he wished he had listened when Connor told him not to. Now he was about to die, thanks to his stupid need to prove he was better than some machine who was made to be perfect. Why did he do this to himself? No one else was around to see this, and Gavin only made sure to insult or hurt the android when people were around. No one was here to see him shoot the piece of plastic, so why did he follow Connor in here?  _

_ He just didn't know when to fucking quit.  _

_ Connor was going to kill him.  _

_ He would never see his little shit of a cat again. Hopefully the nice elderly lady from 2b would take him in.  _

_ The Android was in front of him before he knew it, and he didn't even get a chance to say anything before the RK800 snapped his hand out, and he couldn't breathe because of fear, and everything hurt, and suddenly it all went black- _

**BEEP BEEP BEEEEEP!**

Gavin’s eyes flew open and he gasped, reaching a hand up to his neck. He sighed in relief when nothing felt wrong. It was only a dream.

**BEEP BEEP BEEEEP BEEP!**

He jumped at the loud sound of his alarm clock, the angry noise echoing around the room. Gavin scowled at the innocent device and flipped it off, because he’s even an asshole to his inanimate objects, thanks.

The thing must have sensed his offensive gesture, because the volume increased and it beeped more urgently.  **BEEPBEEPBEEPBEEEEEEEEP!**

“FUCK I’M AWAKE! Turn off already!?” The only reason Gavin bought said alarm clock was because of its ability to take a voice command to set an alarm or turn one off, but this was Gavin reed’s alarm clock ladies and gentlemen, and obviously his assholeyness rubbed off on it, because it straight up ignored his ass and beeped louder. 

The neighbor next to Gavin’s apartment banged on the wall, used to this being an every morning routine by now, and was quite frankly sick of it and would not keep silent any longer. “REED IT’S SIX AM THIS IS THE FIFTH TIME IN A ROLL IT’S IGNORED YOUR STUPID ASS, GET YOUR LAZY BUTT UP AND TURN IT OFF MANUALLY FOR THE LOVE OF GOD! I'M NOT GONNA SIT HERE AND LISTEN AS YOU YELL AT IT FOR 30 MINUTES AGAIN LIKE YESTERDAY.”

“FUCK OFF MRS. HUFFLE! GO EAT DICK, IM DEALING WITH MY OWN ISSUES RIGHT NOW.”

She banged on the wall again. “So help me Reed, I will come over there right now,  _ naked if I have to.” _

“OH, I DIDN'T NEED TO KNOW THAT YOU SLEEP NAKED! GROSS.”

“That’s it, I’m COMING OVER.”

“OH GOD, PLEASE NO, I'M TURNING IT OFF!” Gavin jerked forward to turn the fucking blaring thing off, but unfortunately his feet were tangled up in his bed sheets, so naturally he tripped over and fell out of the bed, completely missing his alarm clock. He fell face first on the floor, because why not, and a loud thud sounded as he hit the hard surface. At that moment, the alarm stopped beeping, and an electronic voice spoke, “Voice command recognized. Turning off alarm. Have a wonderful day.”

On the other side of the wall, Mrs. Huffle cackled, and laid back down, satisfied.

  
  


Gavin stayed as he fell for a few minutes, sprawled across the floor. He breathed in a sigh, and raised a hand to flip off the alarm clock. The thing had the audacity to sit there all innocent like. 

Fucking Mrs. Huffle.

Gavin finally sat up on his elbows, and tried yanking his caught foot out of the sheet. Today was already going to be  _ fantastic  _ he could tell. 

He frowned when he remembered exactly what today was. 

_ Oh god, Connor. _

Today was the day he was going to start his  _ partnership _ with the android. 

Gavin shuddered, and gave up on the sheet. He laid back down with one leg hanging off the bed, and the other bent at a weird angle, and his face smushed into the carpet because -uularrgh-  _ Connor? _

He was going to call in. Yep. Call in. Avoid...avoid that. Nope nope nope. 

Except...he never called in and that would seem suspicious and prove Fowler’s point and-

He was going in to work. Dammit, He had too!

Feeling sick, Gavin closed his eyes and laid there, questioning his existence. Or he would have, but a deep meow sounded by his bedroom door, and he could hear it being pushed open, the jingling of a bell sounded as the little beast entered his room. 

After several moments of silence, Gavin grew confused and finally looked up from his nose-crushing position on the floor, to look for that piece of shit-

The white cat, save for a black spot under it’s right ear and a solid black tail, was staring him down from the doorway, a judgmental look on his face. He looked at Gavin’s position on the floor and promptly turned around and started to walk away. 

“Hey you piece of shit get back here! Don't judge me! Listen buddy, I’ve scooped up your shit, you have no right to sneer at me! Entitled asshole!” Gavin yelled after him, yanking his foot free and getting up. He tripped as he walked forward, but caught himself. 

“Meow!” the cat called back at him, flicking his black tail as he made his way to his food bowl, happy Gavin was finally going to feed him. 

Gavin followed him out and scooped him up before he could reach his dish, cradling him to his chest. “And how did you sleep, Cat?” 

The cat stared at him with leaf green eyes, and reached a white paw forward to hit Gavin’s nose. He meowed at Gavin and started to purr. 

“Alright alright, I guess I’ll feed you.” Gavin put him down and picked up his food bowl, which had “Catpernicus” written on it in gold letters. “It’s all you care about huh? No appreciation for me.”

Catpernicus watched him with mild interest as he poured the expensive cat food in his dish. Gavin sat it down, and stroked the cat once as it started to eat. 

“You’re fucking welcome!” Catpernicus ignored him.

“Tsk. You fuckface.” Gavin grumbled and went to make himself coffee.

As he went through the motions he thought back on how awkward yesterday ended. 

Since it was already nearing lunchtime by the time the Captain decided to fuck him over, Gavin and Connor got to stay with their respective partners for the rest of the day, and then in the morning when they came in, Hank and Chris would be partners, and…

Well. 

Gavin cringed and dumped sugar into his coffee. 

After he went to his car to have a private freak out, He came back and basically ignored Connor for the rest of the day, though he caught the android staring at him several times. 

When the day finally ended, before he could leave, Connor approached him. 

_“Detective, sorry to bother you. I just wanted to say-"_

__

Overwhelmed, Gavin had simply turned around and left. And boy, did that earn him glares. 

He might have fucked up doing that, but Connor had been there  _ all day  _ and Gavin had six months of  **avoid him** ingrained into his brain. He simply had to go home and get away for the rest of the day. Not that he relaxed once he got home though.

He had one day of Connor and it freaked him out. Now he had to go through two weeks of being around the sentient android he tried to kill, who hated him?

Gavin thought about calling in again. 

He just knew Connor was out for him, how could he not be? How could he not wanna get even with Gavin and finish the job? He would just wait for the right moment, and Gavin would never see it coming.

“Meow!” 

“AH!” Gavin jumped and nearly spilt coffee all over the place. “Catpernicus, You fucker! Don't scare me when I'm thinking about my death, it makes me do stupid shit!”

Catpernicus looked unimpressed and walked away flicking his tail, the bell on his collar jingling away. 

Gavin scowled after him. Satan cat. 

By 7 am, Gavin was showered and dressed in the usual; jeans, button up shirt, and his old worn leather jacket. He straightened up his place a little, (but it’s almost always clean, so all he had to do was make his bed and pick up Catpernicus’ cat toys) and sorted yesterday’s mail, before getting ready to leave at 7:15 am. He scratched Cat’s ear before leaving, and the animal rubbed his leg in a farewell, earning a rare soft smile from the detective. “Fuck shit up while I’m gone.” He said, knowing full well the cat did whatever he damn well pleased. 

He locked his door and walked down the hall. At apartment 4F Gavin stopped and glared, before looking around to see if anyone was watching. Seeing he was alone, the cop smirked before bending down to pick up the ‘home sweet home’ welcome mat. He rolled it up and put it under his arm before strolling away, humming an Avenged Sevenfold song.

Serves Mrs. Huffle right.

He got to his dodge charger and threw the mat in the backseat, before starting the commune to the police station. The thing he liked about his old outdated car was that he could speed and get places faster, unlike in a self-driving car. He was at the police department in 30 minutes, and had enough time to get another coffee before 8 am. 

After he got his coffee, he clocked in, and made his way to his desk. His pen cup was back on his desk and he had picked them all up yesterday, but when he looked for it, someone had moved it on the other side of his desk, and organized all of the pens back the way he had it. Gavin glanced around and looked at the few cops who got into work on time before deciding none of them would care much. And no one from night shift gives any fucks about his pen cup so Gavin shrugged it off and logged onto his computer. 

He took care of all his unfinished paperwork, and sorted his emails, and by the time he finished that, it was 8:55. He was so caught up in paperwork, he lost track of the time, and actually forgot to be nervous about Connor. Everyone else at the precinct was already there, save for Chris, but Connor and Hank always arrived late. Around 9 to be exact. Which was in five minutes. 

Gavin got up out of his chair, his stomach felt like it was throwing a fucking party in there, and he was going to be sick. He started walking towards the bathroom at a fast pace, needing some private freak out time before he who must not be named arrived. 

And because Gavin's a sadist who enjoys giving himself panic attacks, he looked over at Connor's desk on the way, fully expecting the android to rise up out of the ground and spite him. He abruptly paused when he spotted Chris over near Hank’s desk, which was across from the android's. He changed his course and walked over to Chris instead.

__

“Hey Chris, what are you doing man? I didn’t even know you were here.” Gavin said, nervously casting a glance towards the door. He schooled his face into a more manly expression when Chris turned around to look at him. 

“Huh? Oh, Hey Gavin. I was just getting used to my new desk.”

“New...desk?”

“Yeah, Connor and I are switching. I’m kinda excited about this whole ‘switching’ thing to be honest. Oh! No offense to you man. I’m just curious about the way Hank does shit. How about you?” 

Gavin had honestly shorted out when Chris said Conner and he were switching desks. Gavin and Chris’s desk were furthest away from everybody else's and Gavin would be stuck there with just Connor?!

“Hey um, don’t bitch me out bud. I know you’re angry about the situation but still...it's only two weeks.” Chris said when Gavin’s face twisted into a sour expression. Reed was well known for his temper and Chris didn't want to start his day by being yelled at.   

“Huh...Oh. Whatever, I don’t care.” Gavin said...His voice sounded confident at least. 

“Oh look, Hank and Connor are here!” Chris said happily, completely ignoring Gavin’s sass and waving at the two newcomers. 

“Aw fuck.” Gavin said under his breath and prepared himself. Well  _ here goes nothing.  _

Gavin looked towards them, fully expecting… something to happen. But nothing did, and Hank and Connor continued walking towards them. Hank smiled at Chris, but when he noticed Gavin the niceness immediately left his face.

“Hey Partner! Hello Connor.” Chris said brightly, his cheerful personality was the reason everyone here liked him after all.

Hank stayed silent as he continued to stare Gavin into oblivion, but Connor smiled back at Chris. “Good morning Detective Miller.” Connor hesitated before looking at Gavin. “...Good morning Detective Reed.”

Gavin tensed up. “Is it a fucking good morning, plastic? Is it? Well good for you.” 

“I knew it!” Hank said before Connor could react. “I knew you would be this way, you dickface!” 

“Hank-”

“Sush Connor. Listen to me Reed, cuz I’m only going to tell you once, you fucking better not get him into trouble, you son of a bitch! You start treating him with respect, or else you and I are going to have a problem” Hank said, using his height difference to loom over Gavin threateningly.

Gavin scowled angrily and lifted his chin in defiance, he stepped back a little so he didn’t have to crane his neck to look up. 

Everyone in the precinct was watching them, waiting for his reaction. Gavin’s attitude was well known, alongside the fact he was rude to everyone, disrespectful, grouchy, volatile, and confrontational. He had a reputation here, which he now regretted, seeing as Fowler was using it against him, which caused this whole mess in the first place.

Gavin was very aware of everyone’s eyes on him, and the fact that Fowler had told him that he enlisted the other cops to report on their progress, which meant his...interactions with basically anyone. He didn't want to give Fowler a reason to add extra time onto this ‘switched partnership’ so he just huffed and glared, turning and walking away from Hank. “Whatever old man, I won’t be around your pet any longer than necessary.”

“YOU FUCK-”

“Hank, let it go please? It’s time we start the day, and I’d rather not have to break up a fight between you.”

“I- ugh. Sure kid. But if that fucker does anything he shouldn’t or treats you badly, you fucking tell me so I can knock his lights out.”

Connor smiled at Hank and pulled him in for a brief hug. “Don’t worry about me Hank. I’ll be just fine.” 

“...Alright. We’ll eat lunch together. Or, I’ll eat. You can cloud gaze or do whatever it is you wanna do-”

Gavin walked out of range of the conversation, and frowned. That went….not well. He subconsciously rubbed at his neck.

On his way back to his desk, Gavin happened to look over at the Captain's office and nearly jumped when he saw Fowler standing at the window, watching him. Gavin grimaced, and Fowler narrowed his eyes and made the “I'm watching you” gesture with his left hand, pointing at his eyes and then back to Gavin. 

Fucking creepy.

Gavin frowned and raised his middle finger to the Captain, but he hadn’t been paying any attention to where he was going, so before Gavin could complete the gesture he tripped and fell into a trashcan, knocking it over in the process. “Oof!”

Gavin quickly swung back up and looked around as he picked the trashcan up. Thankfully no one saw that-...he looked back towards the Captain's office, and saw the man had disappeared from the window. 

Asshole. 

He straightened out his jacket and willed his face to stop being red as he approached his desk, trying to walk like he was a normal guy.

 

Could this day be any worse?

 

An email alert was on his computer screen, and Gavin leaned forward to open it, but a sudden presence at his side startled him. 

“Detective, I just got an alert about a homicide down in the east side. The captain has notified me that he wants us to handle it.”

“Jesus fuck! Stop sneaking up behind me, you fucker!” Gavin bit out. He then closed his eyes and cursed his big mouth. 

Connor backed up a bit, and apologized. “That was not my intention, detective. I am sorry. Perhaps we should go now, before the evidence gets disturbed?”

“Sure.” Gavin said as shortly as possible. Connor was so close and he  _ hated it.  _ But he would do this. 

He had to do this.

Just two weeks and he wouldn't have to be partnered with the android ever again. Two weeks and things would go back to normal.

As long as he did this. 

Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if they were distracted by a case? Gavin hoped.

“We're taking my car.” Gavin said crossing his arms and glaring up at Conner. “I'm not riding in one of those self-driving cars.”

“If you insist Detective. I will debrief you on the way over.” Connor nodded his consent, gesturing for Gavin to go ahead of him.

Gavin snatched up his keys off his desk and stormed past the Android, setting a fast pace and not bothering to see if Connor was keeping up.

Out In the parking lot, Gavin led Connor over to his pristine charger, and suddenly thought this wasn't the best idea. His car was his most prized possession (having saved up when he was a teen just to buy it), and he wasn't sure if he wanted Connor in it. He hesitated a little before unlocking the door, and getting inside. Connor walked around to the other side and got into the car, Admiring its clean interior. Gavin basically smashed himself up against the driver side door. Claustrophobia started to set in as Connor’s presence took up the entire car it seemed. 

“Detective you have a wonderful car.”

“Hmm.” Gavin frowned at him. He started up the car. “What’s the address?” He forced the question out.

“110 East Hale ST.” Connor said absently. Gavin watched him suspiciously as he got out a quarter and started fidgeting with it after several moments of silence. 

Gavin drummed his thumbs on the steering wheel and opened a window, for the air in the car was too thick to breathe in. His entire body was tense, and he was aware the android was watching him. It made his skin crawl. His left leg started to bounce and he waited in anticipation… for something. 

“Detective, it might be easier if we talked about ourselves. Got to know each other?”

Gavin flinched at the voice and turned to scowl at his new partner. Fuck no.

“For instance,” Connor said, cutting off any angry reply from the detective. “I like dogs.” 

“Well good for you.” Gavin said sarcastically. His stomach flipped as he realized there was no way to leave the conversation, unless he flung himself out of the speeding car. Which yes, that was seeming more and more like a good idea as the silence stretched out. Connor was still watching him, and Gavin squirmed slightly in his seat before forcing himself to sit still under the android’s scrutiny.  

Connor frowned, and his LED turned yellow briefly. He analyzed the Detective silently and found he had a increased heart rate. It seemed whenever he analyzed Gavin at any point in the day, the human always had an elevated heart rate. Connor wondered if the Captain knew Gavin suffered from chronic stress and nervousness and usually lashed out because of it. His best course of action was to try and befriend Gavin, so the Detective didn’t have to feel that way around him. That way this two weeks would be easier on the two of them, and Connor could be Hank’s partner again, sooner rather than later hopefully. Connor may have been oblivious to some things, but he knew the detective hated him. It would be no easy task getting Gavin to be friendly towards him. 

Maybe they should start off by putting the past behind them. It was what Hank and Connor did, and now they were best friends. 

“Detective, I know we’ve had our differences in the past, But I look forward to putting that behind us and developing a good working relationship.” Connor said, but it seemed to have the opposite of his desired effect. 

Gavin locked up even further, and Connor noted he leaned away slightly, his body language screamed at Connor that he was terribly uncomfortable. The android grew flustered and tried to salvage the situation. “Perhaps I should inform you about the case now?”

“Fine.” Gavin said. This was case stuff. He could handle that. What was Connor trying to fucking pull with that past in the past bullshit anyways? Gavin wouldn't be fooled.

“The victim is 23 years old, female, her name was Irene Brooks. She was a college student, and was down here visiting her parents for spring break. This morning their android housekeeper reported her dead, but the parents suspect her of the murder, and are trying to press charges. The android isn’t talking.” 

Gavin listened carefully, frowning at the road as Connor spoke. “Was Irene clean?”

“A couple of speeding tickets, and a DUI, but nothing else.” 

“What about the android?” 

“A EM400, Designated for childcare entertainment, but was simply a maid for the brooks family. They paid her minimum wage, and she’s been working for them for 3 months. She was registered to a Alex Kimble before the revolution.”

“Any other suspects yet?”

“As of yet, just the android. We’ll have to talk to the family and her friends before we can determine any other suspects. The next right, detective.” Connor said, pleased that the detective seemed willing to put aside his hatred and work the case. Maybe once Gavin got used to them working in close proximity they could discuss some things. 

Like why he hated Connor so much.

Gavin turned on his signal and made the turn way too sharp for Connor’s taste, but he was used to bad driving thanks to Hank. 

The flashing red and blue lights immediately caught Gavin’s eyes and he pulled up next to the house. “I’ll take lead.” he said, casting a fleeting glance towards Connor. 

The android was staring back, a slight frown on his handsome face. “Detective, need I remind you I was designed for this. It would be a disadvantage to ‘bench’ me, as they say.” 

Gavin glowered at Connor for a moment, but finally conceded when he didn't want to spend anymore time in the small space with him. “Fine, we can both take lead jackass. Let’s just go.” He growled and flung his door open. Connor got out as well and already started walking around when Gavin slammed his door shut. He joined Connor on the curb. “Let’s go.”

They walked up to the door, going through the electronic police tape, and straight into the house. 

The police officer on call, Robert Salias, brightened when he saw Connor, but immediately scowled when he saw Reed. Yeah, he had that affect on people.

“Connor! Where's Hank?”

“Officer Salias, good to see you again. Hank is not my partner at the moment, Detective Reed is.”

“Jeez, I’m sorry Connor.” Connor tilted his head in confusion, and Gavin hissed in anger and flipped Salias off. 

“I’m right fucking here, asshole!”

“Go burn, Reed!”

“Gentlemen, there are more important things at the moment.” Connor said. He reached forward and touched Gavin’s shoulder to stop him from squaring up to Salias.

Gavin froze when the android’s hand touched his shoulder, and brushed against his neck. A flash of suffocating blank eyes whirled across his mind’s eye and he jerked away from Connor. And because he loves fucking himself over, Gavin fell. He was prepared to fall to the death but nothing could prepare him for the fact that the  _ android caught him. _

“Apologies, detective.” Connor said, sincerely, as Salias laughed at Gavin’s horrified face. Connor realized his mistake when he didn't even have to analyze the detective to know his heart beat skyrocketed. He quickly helped the detective up and stepped back. 

Gavin felt like he was going to hyperventilate. He had to get away from Connor immediately. “Whatever, I’m going to go talk to the family!” Gavin growled out. He turned around to flee into any other room, and ran into a chair in his haste to get away. He fucked his leg up, but he managed to hobble away without screeching, after picking the toppled chair up and putting it back in its correct position. 

Every cop in the room watched him go.

“God that guy is so… I have no words.” Salias said, shaking his head. He patted Connor on the shoulder. “I’m sorry you’re stuck with him Connor.”

“I don’t mind.” Connor said distractedly. Concern crept into his sensors as Gavin's curses faded away. This was going to be harder than he thought.

 

“I hope Reed knows the family is back the way you came.”   

  
  


Gavin had to escape through the backdoor of the house, so he could walk all the way around to the front, where the family were giving their statements. He avoided Connor that way, as well as the room full of officers who witnessed that… incident.

Also it gave him a chance to check his leg. He suffered a small scrape on his shin, but was valiantly ignoring it and the fact any of that had happened.

Someone up there clearly had it in for him. 

Probably his mother.

 

He reached the family, and pushed his thoughts away, immediately becoming professional. He excused the questioning police officer so he could talk to them directly. “Mr. and Mrs. Brooks? I’m Detective Gavin Reed from the Detroit police department, I’ll be working your daughter’s case. Can-”

“There is no case!” Mrs. Brooks sobbed. “We know who did it! It was the Android! We warned Irene but she didn’t listen!” 

“Warned Irene of what, Mrs. Brooks?”

“No, detective. That’s enough for today, we’ve already given our statements. If you want to question somebody, question the Android! My daughter is dead in my house, I think my wife and I deserve some time to mourn.”

“Mr. brooks, it would be best if we did this now-”

“I said no, damn you! Must I repeat myself? We wish for some time to mourn our child. We’ve been through enough today.”

“Of course.” Gavin said begrudgingly as they walked down the sidewalk. Mr. Brooks had his arms wrapped around his sobbing wife, as Gavin signaled the nearest beat cop over. “Take them wherever they want, but make sure they stay in town.”

Gavin sighed as he turned back to talk to the brooks. “We’ll be in touch.”

“Thank you.” Mr. brooks said as they were escorted to a car.

Gavin grumbled to himself as he walked back up the sidewalk. He made his way over to the questioning police officer, and asked him to send over their statements. 

“Sure thing detective Reed.” The cop said, not wanting to get on his bad side. He emailed the electronic copy of their statements to the DPD database. “it's been sent.”

Gavin nodded and thanked him. 

 

He took a moment to relax, breathing in deep sigh, before he made his way back into the house to examine the body. It was on the second floor, in the upstairs bathroom. Connor was already there, examining it before the forensics team arrived. 

 

Gavin slowly walked up the stairs of the large house quietly, and looked around him. 

Pictures of the family adorned the walls, and the home itself was nicely decorated. They had all the newest tech and the house itself looked as though it had been remodeled several times. He reached the top of the stairs and turned left to walk down an equally decorated hallway.

As he passed the victim’s room he noticed her door was littered with stickers and newspaper cutouts, along with photographs and a big blue glittery letter ‘I’ was at the top of the door. Tackily decorated in comparison to the rest of the house, Gavin noted. 

He kept walking, headed straight for the upstairs bathroom.

When he reached it, the door was open and he looked in to see Connor bent down next to the body, examining it intently. The clean cut android did not acknowledge Gavin, but he started talking out loud.

“She was bludgeoned to death from behind, by an object such as a golf club. She was hit four times in the head, which crushed her skull. She's been dead about 4 hours.” Connor said, not looking up at him. “There's no sign of previous assault, however, when I analyzed her blood I found traces of red ice. I cannot determine if she took it willingly or if she was drugged. We would have to know more about her previous whereabouts. Did you talk to her parents?”

“I did, they refused to be questioned any farther today, their statements have been uploaded into the system though. Before Mr. Brooks demanded to leave, Mrs. brooks mentioned how they were trying to warn her away from something. We should go talk to the detained android.” Gavin replied, steadfastly pretending that what happened when they first got here never happened. Thankfully Connor hadn’t mentioned anything.

“I agree. But first I would like to see the victim’s room. Also we should search the house, see if we can find a golf club.” Connor said, standing up. He carefully walked around the body and stepped right into Gavin’s personal space. Gavin started holding his breath again, and nervousness welled up in the pit of his stomach. The tall android moved passed him, his face giving nothing away. Gavin sighed in relief as the distance between them grew. "We should find out where she was previously as well."

He felt awkward as he followed after Connor to Irene’s room, his body wanting him to go the opposite direction, he ignored it however and pressed on. “Maybe some of her friends know. She was on spring break after all, she could have been out partying.”

“That might be the explanation for the red ice.” Connor said as he stopped at her door, examining the pictures and news clips. “It appears Irene was an android activist.”

Gavin looked closely at the pictures of people on her door and noticed that some of them were androids. The news clippings had articles about the revolution on them. “I wonder who all had access to the house besides the maid and her parents?”

“Anyone who had the code for their alarm.”

“Someone else had to be here. Do you think the parents?”

Connor frowned and his LED spun yellow. “I’ve just gone through their electronic statements. They claim to have an alibi. When they arrived this morning, their daughter was already dead. Apparently they were at a convention for the last few days. We’ll check that out after we question the EM400.” 

Connor opened the door to Irene’s bedroom, and walked in. Gavin stayed by the door frame. Surveying the room. He took in all the knick knacks on her bookshelf and the bright pink curtains with Christmas lights on them. He took in the banner for Detroit Law University hanging proudly on her wall. Connor moved around the room, examining things. He paused when he came across a picture, hidden in a book on her desk. 

Connor examined it, LED flashing a Yellowish-Orange, before he turned to Gavin. “I think I found the motive for murder.” 

Gavin uncrossed his arms and took the offered photo from Connor. “Oh.”

 

In the picture, two women were kissing with smiles on their faces. One of them was Irene, alive and beautiful, and the other…

The other was an android, LED bright blue.

“According to my analysis, the model of that android is a EM400.”

_ Oh shit.  _

Gavin handed the photo back. “I think it’s time we go talk to her.”


	3. Day One, Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The case continues and our two favorite detectives question The EM400.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHOO! Day one, Part two, let's go!

The drive back to the precinct was as uncomfortable for Gavin as the first time he was in the car with Connor, but even worse because the android was deep in thought trying to sort the case they had so far, leaving Gavin in a stiff awkward silence. Which caused him to speed like a man with his ass on fire. He was actually going 87 in a 60 zone, but whatever. The silence was too uncomfortable and Gavin finally gave in and turned on his radio to help the situation out. 

_ I'm not a robot without emotions, I'm not what you see _

_ I've come to help you with your problems, so we can be free _

_ Mr. roboto by styx _ flooded through the car, right in the middle of the song. Gavin’s eyes widened when he finally comprehended the lyrics and he glanced at Connor, who was suddenly paying attention. The android was staring right back at him, and Gavin made a weird distressed gurgle noise as he reached forward and violently hit the off button.

So music was a no go. Fuck. 

Gavin studiously started looking out his window, prepared to crash the car and die if it would save him from this situation.

“Detective, maybe you should slow down, and actually watch the road please.” Connor spoke for the first time since they left the house. The android watched the human curiously, trying to figure out, not for the first time, why Gavin was so different from any other human he’s met in his short life. 

He didn't think anyone was as strange as the detective, or as unpredictable. Connor was actually starting to get whiplash from the whole situation, and he wished he was with Hank. 

Hank was easy. Hank was comfortable.

Gavin hated him. 

Thankfully the human didn’t seem to want to use the physical violence he use to use on Connor, before the android became deviant. Connor had been so nervous about that before coming into work earlier that morning, but Gavin hadn't even laid a finger on him yet. 

In fact, Now that Connor was thinking back on it, he realized Gavin hadn’t really harassed him since the revolution at all. Connor, of course, had been surprised at first when the Detective did not try to fight him again after he rejoined the DPD. He had actually waited for Gavin to approach him in anticipation, because the hot-head was hardly the type to back down once he started something, however he never did and just sort of ignored Connor instead. Not that the android could complain.

Maybe Connor misjudged the detective. Maybe Gavin respected the fact that he was now seen as a person by the law, and wouldn't harass him anymore? Sure he still insulted Connor, but he was that way with everyone, Connor was starting to realize.

“Fuck off plastic, don't tell me what to do!” Gavin hissed in response to Connor, but glancing down at his speedometer he realized they were going 90. Despite his words, Gavin slowed down. Connor relaxed as his chance of death dropped to 5%, but he continued to stare at Gavin, much to the human’s chagrin. 

“We should talk about the evidence we’ve collected so far, it might help out when we question the android.” Connor spoke softly, noticing Gavin’s knuckles had gone white from gripping the steering wheel too tight. The android felt an impulsive need to reach forward and grab the human’s hand, so he could rub soothing circles on the warm skin there, and maybe get the high-strung detective to relax a bit. Connor frowned at the weird thought, and folded his hands together. He was unsure where the odd desire came from, and shoved it down quickly. Gavin would not appreciate that, and the thought itself was causing Connor great confusion. He got out his coin to fidget with instead.

“Yeah, fine.” the Detective answered. He refused to look at Connor, but talking about the case stuff made it easier on him and he would take any opportunity to end the fucking awkward silence. 

“Irene Brooks is in a romantic relationship with a female android, EM400. The same EM400 is a maid for the Brooks family, and has been for 3 months. She is the prime suspect for the murder at the moment, and is refusing to talk. Irene’s parents where out of the city at a convention for the last two days, and got back after Irene’s death. Irene was on spring break for the last week and it is speculated that she was out partying, which could be the connection with the red ice I found in her blood. The Brooks house has a lot of new and updated technology, including a state of the art alarm system. Only someone who had previously been in the house could enter without the alarm being set off, unless Irene let someone in willingly. There was no sign of forced entry and the alarm was still active when the EM400 reported Irene dead. Irene was a known and proud android activist. She was also a Law student at DLU.” Connor spoke, voice eloquent as he prattled off his personal notes. “She was attacked in the upstairs bathroom, while in the middle of putting her makeup on, which could suggest she was with someone she was comfortable with. The blood splatter on the walls and the head wounds indicate a weapon with a 89% probability of being a golf club.”

Gavin listened intently, nodding along as some of his own clues matched up with Connor’s. “She was also very different from her parents.”

Connor turned to face him, a questioning expression on his face. “What makes you say that?”

Gavin sighed. “Her parents are the rich entitled type, trust me I know just by looking at their house. Did you see her room? How different it was in comparison? Her parents had a sparse contemporary thing going on, clean and cold. And her room was just bursting with colors and knick knacks. So much of her personality went into that room, it was literally seeping out onto her door. Trust me, her parents and her had their differences. I’d bet you 50 bucks they were in some kind of fight.” Gavin finished, thinking about his own parents silently. They had been rich and cold as well…

Well, to him anyways. 

Those Bitches.

“An interesting theory.” Connor said, impressed. As an android, he sometimes had a very analytical mind, and he could sometimes miss things like that. He never even thought about their design differences as a reflection of their personalities or how they got along. Of course, it was just a theory, but Connor thought it deserved looking into. If there was a riff between her and her parents, they needed to find out.

  
  


The conversation ended as Gavin pulled into the DPD parking lot, and parked his car crookedly, taking up two parking spaces. He would not be giving any fucks about how horrible it was parked, nope. Connor gave him a look, but he just scowled in return and flung his door open. He flipped Connor off and moved to get out of his seat, only to be yanked back down because he forgot to undo his seat belt.

Stupid, idiotic, shit-brained-

Gavin wrenched his seat belt off and quickly got out of the car, refusing to witness any reaction Connor had. Instead, he breathed in fresh air while stretching his legs, trying to convince himself he was still a badass....It didn't work... well, on the bright side, there's finally some room between himself and Connor. 

Gavin turned around, and-

Walked straight into the android’s chest. 

“Fuck! Connor what the fuck!?” Gavin panicked and stepped back. “You asshole!”

Connor‘s mind however, halted when Gavin said his name, surprise flashing through him. That was the first time Gavin’s ever called him by his actual name.

“Get the fuck outta my face, creep! What the actual hell!” Gavin snapped as he backed up towards the car.

“Sorry detective, I was just waiting for you. I didn't mean to stand so close or startle you.” Connor said after he shook off his surprise. He backed up as well. He needed to stop doing things that upset Gavin if they were going to be partners. 

To bad everything seemed to upset Gavin.

“Yeah well, don't do that shit again!” Gavin snapped and stalked passed Connor. 

Connor followed after him as they made their way into the station, and he silently wished he knew how to fix this. 

 

Several cops moved out of the way as they saw Gavin, not really wanting to interact with the awful man. The same cops greeted Connor with bright smiles and waves, and the android returned them. He saw his friend Stacy, a AV500 who was a receptionist. Connor stopped following after Gavin to say hi, and the pretty blonde grinned at him. She ran around her desk to hug Connor, her arms wrapping around his midriff. 

“Hey Connor!”

“Stacy!” He greeted her, equally excited and happy to see her. He returned her brief hug, straightening his suit jacket afterward. 

“I was totally just about to call you! What are you doing for your second break?” Stacy said, bouncing a little.

“I'm going to meet Hank for lunch, do you want to join us?” Connor replied, forgetting his Gavin problem for the moment as he spoke with a friend.

Stacy giggled. “I was actually going to invite you along to meet Jack, the guy I was telling you about? The LM100? We’re official, can you believe it!?”

“Official…?”

“Oh that’s right, I forgot you’re innocent.” She said and lightly shoved at his shoulder. “We’re dating silly!”

“Oh, Congratulations!” Connor hugged her again. “I’m happy for you stace.”

“I know right! Hey, I have a wonderful idea, I’ll bring him so he can meet you  _ and  _ Hank! Where is Hank by the way?”

“He’s out on patrol with Officer Chris Miller.”

“Oh…? Um, why?” Stacy asked, scrunching her face up in confusion.

“We switched partners for two weeks under Captain Fowler’s orders.” Connor said, and he frowned when he thought about the fiery officer who was now his partner. Maybe Stacy could offer some advice?

“You and Chris switched partners? But isn't…? Oh. Eww.” Stacy said, and made a face. “You're stuck with Reed aren't you?” She looked towards the way Gavin had stormed past everyone, seeing frowning officers left in his wake. Before Connor could respond, Stacy started talking again. “Hey are you still going to the new Jericho meeting on Wednesday?” 

Connor nodded. “Yes. I wouldn’t miss it.” 

“Perfect!” the phone on her desk started ringing and Stacy turned to look at it. “Oops! I have to go Con, see ya at lunch break!” she said and gave him another quick hug.

Connor smiled as she walked away, and fondly shook his head a little before following after Gavin.

  
  
  


Gavin waited a little impatiently as the paperwork required for questioning a suspect was being processed, and a cop went to the holding cell to retrieve the android.

Gavin clicked the pen he was holding repeatedly, drawing annoyed looks from the surrounding people. He didn't care and kept clicking it, turning the rhythm of the clicks into one of his favorite songs. He started humming a little, and tapping his foot as well.

This was taking forever. He’d be Mrs. Huffle’s age by the time they got the android in the fucking interrogation room! Gavin frowned, thinking about the elderly woman.

What a bitch.

 

The spring on the pen Gavin was clicking broke suddenly, and the top half went flying much to Gavin’s disbelief. It hit an officer in the back of the head, and Gavin gasped silently, before casually (rapidly) turning his chair around, right as the officer whipped around, wide-eyed and face going red from anger. Gavin pretended to be busy waiting on the processing.

“Who did that!”

Gavin bit at his fingernails, and prayed no one saw him.

“Well?”

“Calm the fuck down Brad.” Officer McCormick grumbled from his desk, he had a hangover and did not appreciate the yelling.

“It was you, wasn’t it? I’m tired of you, you asshole! First you call me fat, steal my girlfriend, and now you’re throwing shit at me?” Officer Brad Fusco hissed, Stalking up to McCormick's desk. Gavin accidentally snickered at the juicy piece of gossip, but he quickly slapped a hand over his mouth.

“Oh bite me you cow, I didn’t throw anything at you!” McCormick snapped back irritably, standing up. Gavin slowly inched away from the fight, scooting his rolling chair away gradually. Best not get involved in that hot mess. He hid the bottom half of the pen in his pocket.

  
  


Finally the officer came out and informed Gavin that the suspect was ready, and the detective stood up. Connor appeared by his side abruptly, furrowing his brow as he watched the screaming match between Officer Fusco and Officer McCormick.  

“What took you so long, Robo cop?” Gavin scowled at him, as if Connor’s absence was the reason he had been waiting instead of the processing AND why was the android always standing so damn close? Did he do this to Hank? Jeez. Gavin backed away and his stomach started feeling sick again at Connor’s presence. A headache made itself known, and Gavin wished he had gotten coffee while he was waiting. Connor looked away from the two fighting officers. 

“I was caught up in conversation, detective. I apologize. I’m ready to start the interrogation when you are.”

“I’m ready.” Gavin said back, his tone took on an arrogance Connor was familiar with. Gavin spun on his heel and walked towards the door that led into the back hallway where the Interrogation rooms were. Several officers ran past him on the way, to break up the now physical fight between Fusco and McCormick. Gavin lightly bit his tongue to keep from laughing and inconspicuously looked over his shoulder at them as they crashed to the floor in a heap of limbs. He tried not to feel like he was fleeing the scene of a hit and run. Oh well. Gavin Reed, ladies and Gents # starting bar fights in police stations since 2039. He smirked to himself. They would never know.

He headed to room 3 where the android was assigned. When he arrived at his destination, he reached his hand forward to scan into the room, but the hand-print scanner on the wall blinked red and beeped a loud negative noise at him. “Access denied.”

“Wha-” Gavin said angrily and scanned his hand again. The thing blinked red once more and beeped at him again. Gavin scowled and forcefully slapped his hand on the scanner. This better not be bad karma. “Access denied.” 

He growled. “Listen here you fucker, accept my handprint!” Gavin pressed his hand harder onto the scan pad. “Access-”

“Oh come on!” Gavin held his hand down on the scanner as it let out a long angry beep. “You FUCKING STUPID MACHINE!”

  
  


Down the hall, Officer James watched as Gavin slapped the scanner around, yelling at it as it beeped loudly back at him, bathing him in red light and making him look like a clinically insane person. He shook his head and continued watching, sipping at his coffee. He wondered if Gavin knew Connor was standing right behind him.

  
  


Connor watched Gavin yell for a little while longer before deciding to step in. No doubt the android inside the room, as well as the entire police department, could hear the exchange between the yelling detective and the beeping scanner.

“Detective. Allow me please?” Connor said, and startled Gavin. The detective whipped around, and the scanner let out a short angry beep as it recovered from its assault.

The android’s LED blinked yellow, and the door slid open. “After you, Detective.”

Gavin blushed but refused to be embarrassed again. He grumbled under his breath, “shoulda just done that in the first fucking place. Damn android and the fucking wall scanner, fucking Mrs. Huffle-”

Connor took a moment to be secretly amused before following him in, the door sliding shut behind him. He quickly turned serious however.

 

At the table, cuffed and sitting at the chair, was the EM400. She was tall, with long dark hair, tan skin, and hazel eyes. She had a softer appearance than most androids. More rounded features than sharp ones, and Gavin suspected it was because she was designed for Childcare and Entertainment. 

She didn't look up from where she was staring at the table, devoid of all emotion. Her eyes held a hollowness in them.

Gavin stayed standing as Connor sat down. The android detective brought the case file that was resting on the end of the table towards him, and opened it up, pretending to read. An old intimidation tactic. Be casual like you know things. 

The android EM400 finally looked up after a moment, when neither Connor or Gavin said anything. She grew stunned when she recognized Connor as the android who helped Markus win the revolution. 

The RK800 finally looked up from the file at her, and her thirium pump quickened as he watched her. She felt as though he could see right through her. She hunched a little, wanting to escape his sharp gaze. “Do you have a name?” RK800 asked, His voice was designed to sound pleasing to the ears, but she could hear the calculation in it. She didn't want to be analyzed. She stayed silent, and that seemed to upset the human RK800 came in with.  “Hey, bitch he asked you a question.” The shorter human snappishly said, and a quick scan told her he was Gavin Reed, Age 36, born October 7, 2002. DPD Detective. But that was all it pulled up, which was strange. The human walked up to the table and glared down at her with angry grey eyes. She looked down at the table, refusing to be pressured. 

Connor threw a hand signal at Gavin to back off, and the detective flipped him off. Connor decided to ignore him and turned back to EM400. “My name is Connor. I’m here to help you.” 

When she stayed silent Connor slid the picture he got from Irene’s room over to her. Her stress level went up to 67% when she took in the picture of them kissing.

That had been such a good night. Sorrow flooded her system, and her LED spun red.

“I want to solve this case. I do. But I need your cooperation.” Connor said quietly, making sure to put enough empathy in his voice. “You were in a romantic relationship with Irene Brooks, weren’t you?”

The EM400 let out a shaky sigh and nodded slightly. 

“Will you talk to me?” Connor asked her, leaning forward and trying to catch her eye. She looked back up at him, and frowned. 

Closing her eyes, she nodded. “Yes, I’ll talk to you. But not the human. I don't want him in here.” 

Connor’s LED spun yellow, but strangely Gavin didn't protest. The human jerkily turned around and stalked off, the hiss of the sliding door sounded as it opened and closed for him. Connor hid his surprise at the Detective’s easy departure well, and kept eye contact with the EM400.

“My name… it’s Emily. Irene helped me pick it out.” 

  
  


Gavin left the interrogation room angrily, and made his way to the observation room on the other side of the wall so he could watch Connor question the EM400. Fuck it. He didn't want to have to stand near Connor anyways. He scanned his hand once again when he got to the door, and the scanner for the observation room let him in no problem, thank you Jesus. The detective smiled in triumph, and whispered ‘good boy’ at the cooperative scanner before sending a devious glare at the other scanner just 3ft away. He flipped it off. Access denied his ass.

The door wooshed open, and Gavin strutted in, but he immediately paused mid-step at the door when he saw Captain fucking Fowler already randomly standing there, watching Connor and the EM400 through the one-way glass.

Gavin slowly backed up as soundlessly as he could, and spun around so he could escape, but Fowler’s deep voice stopped him in his tracks. “Here. Now. Sit.” 

Gavin shut his eyes and cursed silently, he looked back at Fowler, who didn't even look away from the glass. “I'm not a fucking dog, I-” Gavin said hotly, a scowl twisting his expression scarily-

“Sit. Down.”

“Yeah, ok.” Gavin said hastily, and parked his ass in the nearest seat, wary of Fowler. _Holy_ _Fucking shit._

He leaned back and watched Fowler cautiously as the man still watched Connor through the glass.

What the hell was he doing here?

  
  
  


Back in the interrogation room, Connor continued questioning Emily. “How long were you in a relationship?”

“Six months.”

Connor raised an eyebrow. “Before you became the Brooks’ maid? Just after the revolution.”

“Yes. Irene got me the job with her parents because I needed the money in the worst way. They had no idea me and her knew each other previously, and they never had a clue we were together. I met Irene at a carnival, she was temporarily working at a food stand while I was working as an assistant to a magician.”

“Alex kimble? Your previous owner.”

“Yes. I have no contact with him now. Anyways we met and after that we saw each other at the carnival every Thursday while it was still open. After the revolution she started seeing me more and I… I fell in love with her.” Emily said, heartbreak evident in her voice. She closed her eyes. “Have you ever been in love, Connor?”

Connor became motionless at the sudden question, and his LED danced from yellow to orange. He felt something claw at him as he shook his head no. “I have not. No.”

“Good. Don’t. This feeling I have now is going to destroy me. No one should ever have to feel this way.” Connor watched her as her face crumpled and she let out a sob. She bowed her head and forced herself to calm down. “Don’t ever love a human Connor. They’re so fleeting.”

Connor’s chest felt twisted and tight as he watched her LED spin red. He wanted to comfort her, but he didn't know how. Her words echoed around his head, and something about them didn't sit well with him. He decided the best course of action would be to distract her from it. 

“Where was Irene last night?” He asked.

Emily opened her eyes. “The two of us… we went to a party, Irene’s friend's from college. I don’t know them. I...I didn't want to stay at the party, but Irene was wanting to get into some sorority at DLU and she wanted to make a good impression.”

“And how did her friends feel about Irene dating an android?”

“They didn't know. They thought I was human. I wore a disguise.”

“I see.” Connor said. “Did Irene make you hide?”

“What? No. she wasn't ashamed of me if that's what you’re getting at. In fact, she wanted to tell people. Be an example for others....it was me who-” Emily sighed, she stopped talking and twisted her hands together.

Connor frowned and filed that information away for later. “Emily this may be difficult for you to discuss, but I found traces of red ice in Irene’s system. Did she use?”

Emily snapped her head up. “No she…! She wasn't an addict. She just…everyone else was doing it and I tried to talk her out of it, but she wouldn't listen to me...one of her friends talked her into it. She wanted to make a good impression so she tried some. After that, things got a little out of hand. Around midnight, someone had been on their phone watching a news report about some famous painter getting out of the hospital after months of recovery. They were all so high, and I was trying my best to take care of Irene, I… I only cared about what she was doing. So when they deliriously started talking about going to rob the painter’s house and sell the paintings they got for millions, I dragged Irene out of there and left them behind. I should have notified the police, but the only thing I cared about was Irene. I took her home.”

“And then?”

“I tucked her in her bed and kissed her goodnight. I waited until she was asleep and then went home. There was nobody else there and I left the alarm on.” Emily said. “I should have stayed with her. I shouldn’t have left. It’s all my fault…”

“We can take a break if you need to.” Connor said, alarmed when Emily’s stress when up to 89%

“Yes, Please.” she said, burying her face in her hands as she started to sob. Connor closed his case file and got up, exiting the room quietly. 

  
  


He walked to the observation room and entered, finding Gavin, alone, looking disturbed. “Detective reed?” 

“What?” Gavin said, his voice was strained and his hands were clenched into fist. 

Connor scanned the detective, finding his stress levels high as well “I… Think we should give Emily some time before continuing. Her stress is too high and I don't want her to self-destruct.” He said slowly.

“Right.” Gavin remembered the first time he met Connor, in the observation room next door. He remembered thinking Connor was just a dumb machine, made to look pretty and steal his job. He hadn't taken the android’s advice back then, just to spite him. The suspect actually ended up self destructing because of stress, and he took Connor with him, all because Gavin didn't know when to fucking quit.

That sure had been a fucking mess to clean up.

The silence in the air started to grow thick again and Gavin was just starting to get uncomfortable, when Connor's LED blinked yellow.

Gavin frowned at the android as he seemed to space out, and all the emotion Connor had on his face fucking evaporated. Gavin squirmed a little as the android’s blank eyes seemed frozen on him.

What the hell kind of malfunction was this?

The reason Connor 'spaced' out however, was because he received a notification for a _Incoming call…_

_...Markus.... _

_ Accept or Decline _

Connor tried not to be surprised by the seemingly random call from the android leader. It must be important.

“Excuse me detective. I’m getting a call.” Connor said breaking the silence once more. He finally blinked, thank god, because it was starting to seriously freak Gavin out. “Hold on for a moment while I take this.”

_ Accept. _

_ … _

_ “Connor, how are you?” _

_ “Hello Markus, I am well. And yourself?” _

_ “Fine, thank you.” _

_ “Is there something I can do for you?” _

_ “Actually yes. I’m with Carl right now, and he was just telling me that last night a group of drunken teenagers attempted to break in the house. They didn't get in however, but I still want to report it. Carl just got out of the hospital after all. I don't want to take any chances.” _

_ “I’d be more than happy to help out. Markus doesn't Carl have security cameras? Can you send me the footage?”  _

_ “Sure Connor.” _

_!Video Message received!  _

_ “Thank you for taking this seriously, Connor. My father means so much to me and I’m glad to know I have friends who care, like you.” _

_ “You’d do the same for Hank and I, Markus.” _

_ “Yes, I would. See you Wednesday at Jericho?” _

_ “Absolutely. Goodbye Markus.”  _

_ “Until next time.” _

Connor ended the internal phone call, and pulled up the video footage Markus sent him. He started to scan through it. 

Noticing Gavin was staring at him strangely, Connor explained. “I just spoke to Markus. He reported that a group of drunken teenagers tried to break into Carl Manfred’s house last night.”

“Carl Manfred...That famous painter? Oh shit, Sound familiar?” Gavin asked, looking back in the interrogation room at Emily. He tried to resist the urge to stare at Connor. 

“Yes detective. There’s a 99.9% chance that the incident Emily described and the incident Markus reported are the same.” Connor said, accidentally letting some of his sarcasm out. “I’m scanning through the last 24 hours of security tape as we speak.”

Gavin ignored Connor as the android went still again, uncomfortable and frankly, a little freaked out. The android had him cornered in the small observation room and the need to get away hit him like a dump truck. It didn't help that his conversation with Fowler already put him on edge. 

 

He just wanted to be done with this mess and it wasn’t even lunch yet. 

 

“Detective, I found the footage of the attempted robbery. Most of their faces are unidentifiable, but I’ve successfully identified a young woman by the name of Elise Baker. 21 years old and a student at DLU. I’ve checked her online profile and discovered pictures of herself with the victim.”

Gavin would rather die than admit he was impressed Connor did all that in 5 minutes. Maybe androids really would take over. He’s never felt more obsolete than right now. “Her address?” he said, instead of all the insults that swirled around in his mind.

“464 Kent Dr.” Connor replied, finally getting that strange blank look off his face as he stopped searching the video. 

“Well, Let's go right now. You said the android needed a break, might as well do something useful while we wait for her to calm the fuck down.” Gavin said brashly. He stood up and brushed past Connor on the way out, thankful to get out of the tiny room. The android rolled his eyes at Gavin, and silently sent a request that Emily be taken care of before leaving to follow after the annoyed detective.


	4. Day One, Part Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our two intrepid detectives go to visit Elise Baker. They find out a drug dealer is slightly involved, but that doesn't even matter, because Gavin discovers someone is lying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DAY ONE PART THREE, HAHA! I swear there's just one more part to day one before we move onto day two; Wednesday. The whole fic isn't going to be just this one case I promise!
> 
> Lmao, Don't @ Me

One thing Gavin can honestly say, was that he wanted a fucking limo.

Yep, a goddamn limousine, the biggest kind they have. Preferably one so long, phones are needed to speak to one another. Actually no, not even phones. 

It should have smoke signals instead so no one would have to have any actual contact. Not really possible, but he’s waaay past the point of caring, and right at the point of wanting a fucking limo. Yes, citizens of the world, he’s finally reached the ‘I want a limo’ point in his life, tragic, isn't it? But really. A Limousine.

The longer the better. Because, and hear it out, If Gavin had a limousine, FUCKING CONNOR could ride in the fucking BACK so he could put some fucking DISTANCE between them, because- and nothing new here - DRIVING RIGHT NEXT TO HIM IS UNCOMFORTABLE AS FUCK. He’d rather be smooshed up behind a door than be in his own car at the moment. And that was saying a lot.

How many puppies did he kick in a previous life to deserve this? Whatever his mother told God upstairs was a fucking LIE. He did nothing to warrant this situation.

And what the fuck-

Gavin swerved for the second time when Connor’s coin flashed in the edge of his vision and he couldn’t resist glancing over any longer. Why the hell did Connor have such a hard on for that coin? 

Gavin was finally getting a little pissed off, rather than the usual nervousness he felt when looking at Connor. If he was going to be stuck with the android for two weeks he needed to put up some boundaries, because his limit for today was already reaching a breaking point goddammit. He honestly wanted to crawl away and sneak home, lock his doors and forget Connor existed. Honestly, He’d rather be anywhere else- 

The coin flashed in his vision again, distracting Gavin once more.

GOD DAMMIT!

“Hey Sméagol, wanna put your fucking precious away so I can concentrate? Thanks, you plastic bottle.” Gavin snapped when his pent up emotions boiled over and spewed everywhere. This was the first time, since this whole damn partnership thing started, that his insults had any real anger behind them. He usually just fronted to keep up continuity, but that FUCKING COIN was driving him up the wall.

Connor froze, coin resting on his ring finger, and he glanced at the detective. “Sméagol?” 

“Oh for the love of-” Gavin cursed. Really they couldn’t make a android who knew pop-culture? Nice. “Just put that thing away. Shove it up your ass if you want, just stop. God.” He shifted in his seat as soon as the words where out of his mouth, and tried not to look at the android. 

Suddenly all his pent up anger was gone and he was left with nothing but his nervousness, stress, and his secret fear of the android AND OH GOD! Why did he say that? What was he thinking. Oh fuck!

YEAH MAYBE he shouldn't be antagonizing _ the android he tried to assassinate that one time. _ Connor still had the ability to get him fired! And after his talk with Fowler in the observation room-…Gavin blanched. Oh god. What demon possessed his body just then?! This was why he vowed only to speak to Connor about the case stuff! HE WAS AN ASSHOLE, AND CONNOR-

Connor would turn him in. Get him fired. He would-

 

Gavin was too busy internally freaking out, so he didn’t see Connor’s frown as the android put his coin back in his pocket. “Sorry Detective.” He said quietly. He didn't understand why humans found his coin to be so annoying. First Hank, now Gavin. He held in a sigh. He was supposed to be trying to befriend Gavin, and step one of that was not to piss him off. It was so hard though.

Connor looked out the window, feeling a little helpless. He couldn’t do anything right today.

 

Gavin stressed out. He couldn’t just say that and leave it! Fix the situation! Apologize! Do something. Goddammit Gavin, talk! “Sméagol is a fictional character from the Lord of the Rings. He had a ring he was obsessed with, like you with that fucking coin.” Gavin blurted. Nice, good fucking plan. Talk about lord of the rings, and then shut up for the rest of eternity.

At the sound of Gavin’s reluctant voice, Connor turned away from the window to look at him in surprise. The Detective was flushed and looked fidgety, shifting around in his seat and drumming his fingers in a anxious gesture as he talked.

“Lord of the rings was a series of books that they made into movies. Everyone knows that, you might as well too, plastic.” Gavin rushed out when Connor acted like he was about to ask a question. The detective was extremely unsettled, but he forced the words out. 

He breathed heavily and tried to calm down, casting a quick glance over at Connor for the first time since his outburst. The android did not look angry, if anything he looked confused, and Gavin was probably just overreacting, like the melodramatic person he really was. Dang it.

 

Connor however did not know how to feel. He felt...elated at the fact Gavin finally talked about something uncase related, but he also felt...uncomfortable about the fact Gavin seemed to be forcing himself to. He didn't want to stress Gavin out more than he already was. 

Actually, why would Gavin talk to him about something like this, if it was so uncomfortable for him to talk to Connor at all?

Maybe this was Gavin trying to befriend him as well? Usually when getting to know someone you exchange new information. Connor smiled slightly, the helpless feeling lifting a little. If they both tried, cultivating a friendship would be so much easier. Connor decided to share something Gavin might not know as well, just to ease the detective’s nerves. The ‘ball’ was apparently in his ‘court’ as Hank liked to say sometimes, and He didn't want to leave Gavin feeling awkward by leaving his information just hanging there, unreciprocated. 

“An average size tree can provide enough wood to make 170,100 pencils!” Connor offered in return. 

Gavin swerved the car again in pure shock, this time because what in the fuck? That was fucking random. He turned to stare at Connor after he regained control of the car, his face caught between surprise and confusion. “Wait, what?” Gavin finally said, thoroughly flabbergasted because His brain couldn't comprehend this. First he yelled at the android, freaked out and majorly over-reacted, then he rambled about lord of the rings to try to distract Connor from it, and now pencils? Where the hell did that come from? 

Fuck he just calmed down, now Connor was talking about trees and pencils just fucking because? What did that have to do with anything?

“An average sized tree can provide-”

“I heard what you said plastic. Why the fuck- we weren’t even- What does-” Gavin frowned, bewildered. He was so perplexed at the moment. 

Maybe Connor was fucking with him? Trying to psych him out. 

It was definitely working.

 

Connor frowned at Gavin’s reaction. Maybe that wasn’t a fun enough fact? What if Gavin already knew that one? He tried to think of something that might interest the detective, but nothing came to mind. He didn’t know anything about Gavin. 

Maybe he should figure that out before sharing facts the Detective didn’t want to know. 

A new mission popped up on Connor’s interface.  _ Find out what Gavin likes _ . He tried to be confident about it. How hard could that be?

Pretty damn hard.

Glancing over at the detective, Connor noticed a sheen of sweat on his forehead, and the detective was biting the inside of his cheek noticeably. His grey eyes were fixed determinedly on the road, and his heart rate was spiked enough to cause Connor concern. The android frowned. He was starting to worry that Gavin had a medical condition he neglected to inform anyone about.

Connor kept a tab on the detective as they neared their destination. If Gavin’s vitals didn't even out, he would have to take action.

  
  
  


The house they arrived at was smaller than Irene’s, and a lot less fancy. The lawn was a little overgrown and a White German Shepherd was chained up to the tree in the front yard. Gavin had fled the car as soon as they parked, and was at the door before the count of 10, ready to focus on something else. Like the case. The case was a safe area.

He was about to ring the doorbell to Elise Baker’s house, when he noticed the absence of a smothering presence. Well. 

He turned and noticed Connor wasn't on the porch with him, but was in fact, in the middle of the yard, petting the fucking dog. The detective frowned. 

Oh that’s right.  _ He likes dogs. _

Gavin gagged on the inside. It was fucking gross he knew that about the android.

 

Gavin impatiently waited for about 8 minutes, in which time Connor actually sat the fuck down in the fucking grass to play around with the dog. Gavin uncrossed his arms as irritation welled up again. 

He scowled as he walked off the porch reluctantly, and over to the android. His stomach flipped when he neared the RK800 and K9. 

“What in the fuck are you doing?” Gavin said when he reached them. Connor was smiling and petting the dog lovingly almost, and the animal was happily receiving his affections. However, at the sound of Gavin’s voice the big dog fixated on him and started growling. Gavin paled and backed up a little. “Uh...its staring at me…”

Was a dog supposed to be able to glare?

Connor moved to block Gavin from the dog’s view.  “Aw, who’s a good dog!” Connor said and scratched at the dogs ears. The animal ignored him and fucking  _ leaned _ around him so he could look at and continue growling at Gavin.

Gavin swallowed and moved back some more, trying to escape back to the porch. The dog bared its teeth at him. What the fuck? “Uh, plastic…”

“Detective Reed wont hurt you! See, he’s backing away.” Connor tried getting the dog’s attention again. 

The thing about Gavin is that he’s a klutz who enjoys danger and living on the edge. Which is why he tripped over his own feet when he backed up a little too hurriedly. 

And of course,  the dog immediately leaped forward and started barking aggressively at Gavin, catching Connor and the detective off guard. The animal got right on top of him, snapping its jaws in Gavin’s face. 

“NO CUJO! BAD DOG. GET THIS RABID ANIMAL OFF OF ME!” The panicked detective screeched hysterically and raised his hands up to try and get the dog off of him, but the thing didn't budge. 

“CONNOR!” he yelped, when the dog snarled in his face, it’s spit getting all over him.

 

_ Ohshit shitshitshitshitshit! _

 

The dog was gone suddenly, and Connor was in his field of vision. Hands gripped at his shoulders and pulled him up. “Detective! Are you ok!?”

“Fuck!” Gavin flailed his arms a little as he turned around and fled back up to the porch, tripping on the way up. His jeans were covered in grass stains, and his hair had a leaf in it, but he didn't care. When he reached safety, he clutched at his chest, checking to see that, yes he is still alive. Holy Hell. Dogs and Androids. This day was so fucking awful.

Gavin wiped at his face with his jacket sleeves and tried to calm down.

Connor frowned as the detective seemed genuinely frightened of the dog, though he tried to hide it. Connor cast a disapproving glance at the now docile dog and followed after the unnerved detective. 

Gavin didn’t like dogs. HE HATED THEM.

“Detective-” Connor said once he joined Gavin on the porch. The detective looked like he was about to panic. Connor berated himself. What kind of partner lets their own get attacked? It was Connor’s fault that happened. He was suppose to be watching Gavin’s back.

 

Gavin didn't want to talk or hear the android’s stupidly soothing voice, so he quickly rang the doorbell, effectively stopping Connor from speaking. He sent a fierce glare back Connor’s way, because, fuck that.

After a awkwardly long moment, the door opened, and a small red-head was staring up at them. “Who are you?” she said, taking in the disheveled man and then the handsome one in a nice suit, she’d buy whatever it was that they were selling, because damn. She’ll take two please.

“Are you Elise Baker?” Gavin said, trying not to look like that hellhound just attacked him.

“Yeah, what’s it to you?” Elise replied, staring at the leaf in Gavin’s hair. It was pretty silly looking. She gave up on trying to ignore it and finally reached forward to pluck it off of the shorter man. She decided he was pretty cute too. He definitely had a Bad boy thing going for him. She twirled the leaf around in her hand and sent him a amused smile.

He stared at her a little, before glaring, his pretty grey eyes turning icey. Yeah he was definitely a hottie. And the scar on his nose was badass. She wondered what was under that leather jacket-

“I’m Detective Reed from the Detroit police department. This is Connor.”

“So?” she said, taking time to look at Connor. Damn. What police station where they from? Was this one of those cop-stripper things? Because she needed to send someone a gift basket pronto. 

“SO we’re here to talk to you about Irene Brooks. She was found dead this morning, and you and your delinquent friends were some of the last people to see her alive. Also you tried to rob a house last night.” Gavin said harshly, annoyed.

Elise’s jaw dropped. She stared wide-eyed at Gavin, and then looked to Connor as if to confirm everything the shorter detective said. When the android detective nodded, she let out a gasp. “Irene is…. Is… dead?” 

  
  


In Elise’s house she offered them drinks, but Gavin strait up refused and Connor politely declined. They were in her living room, Connor and Elise sitting down, Elise on the chair, Connor on the couch, and Gavin standing because he wasn't about to be pressed up against the android on that small ass couch. 

Connor and Elise were talking while Gavin inconspicuously looked around. The house was old, and messy, Elise clearly just woke up, and the place smelled like the cinnamon rolls she had cooked for breakfast. It was her parent’s house apparently, and she was watching it for them while they vacationed in Hawaii. They would be back by the time spring-break ended. Gavin felt sorry for the mess their daughter would leave them to clean up.

He saw a picture of the dog on one of the shelves and flipped it over just to spite him. It’s not like they’d notice.

“You and Irene were good friends?” Connor’s voice carried in the empty home.

“Not really, no.” Elise said, gripping her coffee cup tight. She had last night’s mascara smeared on her face from where she had cried. 

“No?”

“We just had a couple of classes together. I didn’t really know her well.”

“But she was at your party?”

“My party? No it wasn’t mine. I only went because my boyfriend, Garrett, was invited. It was his friend’s party. Johnny San-Venganza? I invited Irene because Johnny had a thing for her and he asked Garrett to get me to invite her. I only did because… well I'm scared of Johnny. He’s uh…”

“Anything you tell us will stay anonymous Elise. We can protect you.” Connor said when Elise hesitated.

“Pfft. right.” she said sarcastically at Connor. She didn't care how soft those puppy dog eyes were, trusting people in Detroit was dangerous. 

“Just fucking tell us what we want to know. You won’t get hurt.” Gavin snapped, still salty at her for the dog. Even if she didn’t order her dog to attack him, Gavin still wanted to be mad at her. He was petty like that.

Elise shifted in her seat as the intimidating man stared her down. “Johnny he... deals. Red Ice to be exact. It used to just be outta the college dorms, and Garret was his roommate at the time, it's how they know each other. He got recruited into this gang and dropped out of college and is like, this big time drug dealer now. Garrett and I were out with a group of friends one day, Irene was there, and we ran into him. He and Irene got along well, and he wanted to see her again. So I invited her. She showed up with Emily though. Johnny wasn't happy.”

“Where was this party?” Gavin interjected, walking closer.

“Down by the docks, in a eerie ass warehouse.” She replied, gripping her cup tighter. Not the best place for a rave if her opinion counted for anything.

“And Johnny, where does he hang out?”

“I couldn’t tell you. I don't know him well either.” she sighed. They probably thought she was some brainless bimbo which-...yeah sort of. Whatever she was at peace with it, she just wished she could offer something to help out. Irene wasn't her best friend by any means, but she was a good person.

“Can you give me the exact location of this warehouse?” Connor asked.

“Let me text Garrett. He knows.” She said, getting out her phone.

“And we have to discuss the attempted break in at Carl Manfred’s house. I saw the security tape.” Connor spoke seriously. 

Elise stopped typing, and looked sheepish. “Look, we were high. No one could even find the front door. We just sort of hung around the front, looking at the garden.”

“I’m aware. I saw the tape, however, Mr. Manfred reported it. There could be Charges.”

Elise looked worried. “But I have Honors at DLU and I-”

“Should have thought of that before doping up on drugs.” Gavin hissed at her. 

“But…” Tears welled up in her eyes, but Gavin couldn’t feel sorry for her.

“But you did the drugs, you suffer the consequences.”

  
  


On the way out of the house, Gavin stayed on the sidewalk, avoiding the evil dog. Connor, however, trotted over to it and gave it a pat on the head. “Be a good dog, Bolt.” Connor said after looking at it’s name tag. The android smiled as the dog licked his hand. Gavin watched from his car, appalled. When Connor joined him, he glared. 

“Why did you go pet that mutt? It’s dangerous.”

“Only to you.” Connor said, accidentally sassing the detective for the second time that day. He closed his eyes momentarily, scolding himself. He was supposed to befriend Gavin, not be rude towards him.

Gavin grinded his teeth together. He turned around and got into the car, not trusting his mouth to stay silent. He couldn't risk snapping at Connor again.

Connor got in on the passenger side. He fidgeted with his seat-belt before buckling it. “My apologies detective, If I offended you.” He said when Gavin didn't say anything else.

Gavin raised a eyebrow and stared at Connor in surprise, not knowing how to react to that in a human fashion. Which clearly meant he absolutely had to drop the keys before getting them in the ignition. Why would he not do that? Gavin cursed and reached after them, hitting his head on the steering wheel and making the car honk. “OW! Fuck!”

He grasped the keys and leaned back up, rubbing his head and trying to hold his ego together.

Yep. Gavin really wanted a limo right about now. 

He decided to do the usual and ignore Connor’s existence, awkwardly busying himself with starting the car. Maybe then he could get his shit together.

Connor took that as a bad sign. Gavin just started talking to him more and now he was back to barely even grunting. Great. Connor was really starting to miss Hank. Even he hadn’t been this bad when they first met.

“Where did that girl say the warehouse was at, plastic?” Gavin said once they got out onto a main street. They decided to go straight there rather than back to the station to resume questioning with Emily, so that way they could get it out of the way and give her some more time to calm down.

“The docks. South east.” Connor said, and Gavin nodded, turning on his signal and merging into traffic. After driving for some time, that awful silence was back and Gavin became jittery as the seconds ticked by. He wanted to end the silence, but he didn’t trust the radio after last time and he sure as hell wasn't going to talk to Connor. The android was staring out the window, watching the scenery as it passed by.

Bone-crushing Silence it was then.

  
  
  


They arrived at the warehouse in 30 minutes and in Gavin's personal opinion it really was eerie. It was run down and old looking, with a bunch of crows hanging out around it, cawing and reveling in the aesthetic of their freaky home. 

Gavin made a weird face when one of the crows dead-ass stared him straight in the eyes, and it followed him as he walked.

He frowned and started walking in a zig-zag to try and get the animal to look away. It’s head followed his movements, and three other birds joined it in it’s death stare at Gavin. Ew. People actually came here to party?

More like to do ritual sacrifices.

Gavin Zig-zagged even harder to try and get them to look away. The whole flock was starting to follow him with their heads now, and Gavin thought about offering them Connor in exchange for safe passage, because holy fuck.

Weren't crows seen as birds of death in some cultures? He could see why.

Connor watched Gavin zig-zag away, making his own weird face. He watched as the Detective did it faster, becoming more stupefied by the moment.

“Detect-”

“SHH!” Gavin shushed him, and pointed to the crows. “They’re staring at us.”

Connor looked around at the birds that had zeroed in on them. He stopped for a moment, his mind flashing back to Rupert’s pigeons. He started zig-zagging with Gavin.

Connor and Gavin zig-zagged side by side into the building, birds flying away from their feet. The rafters creaked and the wind howled through the holes in the roof. Gavin stopped and looked around, the remains of the party evident. He scowled as he looked around, and bent down to examine a bong, carelessly left behind. “Fucking kids, man.”

Connor walked ahead of him examining the room. “There's nothing here. We should go back to station.”

“Yeah, maybe. Let’s look around a little first, plastic.” They might be able to find something in here to tell them where that Johnny guy was.

“If you insist.”

Just then a tower of beer bottles fell over as a man came out of a door, making a loud clunking sound. The bottles scattered around, those fuckers, and the man cursed. He bent down to pick one up before standing back up. He looked up and dropped it when he noticed Connor, and then Gavin, who was still bent down. “What the fuck?”

Connor scanned the man. No ID was found.  “Are you John San-Venganza?”

“What’s it to you, asshole?”

“We’re with the police-” The guy rapidly spun on his heel and bolted away. 

Connor immediately gave chase, jumping over a crate and swerving out the door, all before Gavin could even stand up. 

 

The detective floundered a little as he stood up and he cursed. Gavin accidentally kicked a broken beer bottle at a bird as he ran out the way they came, taking a right and running along the side of the building. He just reached the side door as it banged open and Johnny ran out, Connor hot on his trail. 

Johnny was looking over his shoulder when he ran straight into Gavin, who tackled him to the ground.

The guy flailed his arms, and tried to kick and punch at Gavin, but the cop used his stockier build to hold him down. “FUCK stop moving asshole before I break your arm!” Gavin snarled when the guy kicked his shin. The one that had the fresh scrape from earlier on it- and fucking Mrs. Huffle, that hurt.

“Police Brutality! I didn't do nothing! Let me go you pig!” Johnny struggled in vain as he tried to get away

Gavin shoved him harder into the cement. ‘Shut the fuck up, you string-bean looking mother-fucker!”

Johnny almost hit Gavin in the face, and the cop hissed. “You tub of lard piece of shit!” 

The vicious detective wrenched him off the ground and violently slammed him into the wall. 

“You son of a bitch!” Johnny yelped. Gavin handcuffed him and jerked him around, slamming him back into the side of the building.

“You shouldn’t have fucking ran, you bag of dicks. Now, tell us what we wanna know before I break my foot off in your ass.” 

The guy spit at Gavin, missing his shoe just by an inch. The detective became outraged and punched the guy in his stomach, resorting to the violence Connor associated with him. “YOU FUCKER!”

 

Connor finally stepped forward. “Detective Reed, perhaps we should question him first, before you damage anymore of his brain cells by giving him a concussion.”

“Fucking stupid piece of shit.” Gavin said shoving Johnny up, but he stepped away so Connor wouldn’t come any closer to him.

The android got in Johnny’s face, having to bend down so he could be eye level to him. “Let’s start with where you were between the hours of 4am to 9am.”

“I ain't gotta tell you nothing! Get out of my face Pig.”

“Sure, and I can let my associate question you instead. He won't be as friendly as I am, I promise.” Connor said, giving him a sharp look.

Johnny regarded Gavin, the punch in the stomach he received still hurt like a bitch and he could barely breathe. The detective looked like he was seething in rage, and Johnny would rather not have to endure any more physical violence. He bit his lip slightly, and glanced back to Connor. 

He hesitated. “Fine, look I was at a homeless shelter, down on 10th street. It was cold last night after the party, and I needed somewhere else to sleep besides this warehouse.”

“Can anyone confirm this?”

“Yeah asshole. Carrie, the owner. And Linda.”

“Linda?”

Johnny smirked. “The girl I fucked.”

Connor frowned at the crude language. “And Irene?”

Johnny frowned. “What about Irene?”

“You had a ‘thing’ for her, yes?”

“What do you mean “had”? I still do. What does she have to do with anything?”

Connor glanced at Gavin, who stonily glared back. He breathed a little heavier than necessary as he felt frustration for the mad detective. Hank was never this way. He decided to ignore Gavin and he turned back around to Johnny. “Irene Brooks was found dead this morning.” Connor made sure to scan his reaction.

Dilated pupils, elevated heart rate. The surprise was genuine.

 

“Dead? How?” 

“That’s what we’re trying to find out. Were you aware Irene was in a relationship?”

“I found out last night. Wait, do you think I done it? I wouldn'ta hurt Irene just because she wasn't interested in me! Ya know how many women I would have killed by now if I killed for that reason? god.”

“You don’t look too good on our part. We hear you deal.”

Johnny stiffened. “You have no proof. None.”

Gavin moved forward, causing Johnny to flinch. “Oh yeah?’ 

He leaned forward and patted Johnny down, looking for any concealed weapons or drugs. "Get off me man! I don't have anything-" Gavin stopped and reached into Johnny’s inside jacket pocket, pulling out a little baggie full of red powder. Johnny shut up.

“What’s this?" Gavin bared his teeth in a mean smile. "Are you always so fucking stupid, or is today a special occasion?”

“That’s not mine! I don't know where that came from! You planted that on me!” Johnny said, voice going up two octaves and cracking on the last word.

Gavin sneered and shoved him forward, dragging him towards his car. “You have the fucking right to remain silent and refuse to answer questions. Anything you say may be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to consult an attorney before speaking to the police-”

  
  
  


Back at the station, they booked Johnny and had him moved into a interrogation room, ready for questioning. It was finally lunch time however, and they gave no fucks about keeping him waiting, so they decided to resume questioning after their 60 minute break.

Connor waited at Chris- his. His new desk (Gavin repressed a shudder) for Hank to arrive back from patrol. Gavin tried not to show how unbearable this was for him. He didn't like being isolated around Connor. Nothing new there. He was sitting directly across from Gavin, but thankfully he hadn’t attempted to make small talk again.

Connor kept looking around, getting used to sitting in Gavin’s corner, which everyone secretly referred to as the Dragon’s Cave behind Gavin’s back. He missed his own desk already. He loved that Hank and himself had desks that were in the middle of the room. They were always around all the action, and Connor made many friends because of it. 

He hadn't gotten to see any of his usual friends yet today, considering they all wanted to stay away from Gavin. He would miss them coming up to his desk for a talk-

“Hey Connor!” a very familiar voice called out loudly over all the other noise, and Connor couldn't help the giant smile that broke out across his face. He spun around in his new chair. "Lieutenant!”

Hank let out a hearty chuckle as he walked over and pulled Connor in for a hug. The android laughed and couldn’t help but feel warm at the embrace. Hank’s hug was one of the first positive things Connor experienced after becoming deviant, and it, along with any other hug the human gave him, would always have a special place in Connor’s heart.

“Hey kid,” Hank greeted, letting go of Connor. “How‘s your day going?” Hank couldn’t keep the bite out of his tone, and Connor realized he was really asking how Gavin was treating him. Connor rolled his eyes, and tried not to sound exasperated at Hank's over-protectiveness. 

“Ok, Hank. Gavin and I got a case first thing if you recall.”

Hank frowned when Connor called Reed Gavin instead of Reed like normal. He tried not to make a face. “Oh yeah, that homicide... What’s going on with that?”

“I’ll tell you over lunch, if you’d like?”

“Sure kid.” Hank said clapping him on the back fondly. He glared at Gavin over Connor’s shoulder.

 

Gavin resisted flipping him off.

 

“Stacy will be joining us, if that’s ok. Along with her new boyfriend.”

“Yeah that’s fine. I’ve been wondering about that guy.”

Hank started towards the door, but stopped when he realized that Connor wasn’t following him. “Connor?”

The android was standing by his desk, a peculiar look on his face. He turned to look at Gavin, much to Hank’s and Gavin’s surprise. “Do you want to join us for lunch, detective?”

Hank gawked at him, and Gavin looked even more surprised. He actually gasped and inhaled the coffee he was drinking and started choking. His eyes watered up as his face turned red, and he started coughing. Today was the day he would die.

Hank and Connor watched him, Connor looking like he wanted to help but didn't know how. Gavin leaned over and hid his face beneath his desk as he tried to breath like a human being.

Oxygen in, carbon dioxide out Gavin. It's not hard. In and out. Fuck. And what the FUCK IS HAPPENING. Now Connor was asking him out to lunch? What’s next, a picnic in the park? Gavin was so confused it hurt. What was the android playing at?

Hank walked back towards his android son and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Uh...Connor, what are you doing?” He said in a whisper. He checked Connor's LED to make sure the android hadn't lost it.

“I just wanted to ask Hank.” Connor said. He surprised himself with the defensive feeling that rose up.

“Why the fuck would anyone want to spend extra time around that asshole?” Hank said, casting a glance at Gavin who was still coughing up a lung. 

Connor struggled to find a way to answer Hank. 

 

It suddenly went quiet and Hank nudged Connor and nodded in Gavin’s direction. The younger Detective was breathing heavily, but was no longer coughing. “Detective Reed?” Connor asked a little timidly. He wasn't expecting Gavin to have that bad of a reaction.

Gavin cringed at the sound of Connor’s smooth voice and He quickly pulled himself up. He looked over at Hank and Connor, who were both watching him with various emotions. “Um, I…” Gavin shook his head no, and moved to stand up. “No, I have to go…do anything else.” He did not flee. No he did not. He walked calmly to the bathroom in a very dignified manner. 

That was a lie. 

 

He fucking fled, and ran into the bathroom door before actually opening it, because it was a pull door not a fucking push door, and fuck he knew that, but just opted to forget it in that moment. He cursed once more, before flinging the door open and walking into the bathroom with the shattered remains of his ego.

WHAT IN THE ACTUAL HELL? 

  
  
  


Connor tried not to be disappointed as he watched Gavin, cursing like a sailor as he left. How was he supposed to be friends with Gavin, if the detective seemed so against it?

“Connor, what was that?” Hank asked, his hands on his hips.

“Just… being partnerly, I suppose.” Connor didn’t want to tell Hank his intentions to befriend Gavin. He knew the elder detective would disapprove and try to dissuade him. “Let’s go, Lieutenant.”  
  
  


 

Gavin was alone for his entire lunch break, thank fuck. He was frazzled and he didn’t know how to stop being frazzled. Even thinking about eating made him nauseous, so he decided to skip lunch. But that literally left him nothing to do for 60 minutes except think. And he had no desire to do that, thanks.

So just to keep his mind off things, Gavin pulled up their current case file and read through it. 

Fuck. 

Gavin sighed as he tried to focused back on the case, not expecting to get anywhere new this time around. He could have sworn the drug dealer would have been the murderer, but his alibi looked like it was going to check out.

 

Maybe it was Elise. But she had no motive. 

 

Maybe it was Emily, but what was her motive? Did Irene return Johnny’s interest?

 

Maybe Irene Pissed Johnny off, and he killed her and then went to the Homeless shelter.

 

Maybe it was somebody else entirely, an anti-android extremist who found out Irene was an android activist? Or maybe found out about Emily?

 

Maybe it was the fucking dog.

 

Gavin scowled at his notes and shoved them away. Useless. 

He leaned forward towards his computer, and pulled up the video of Emily’s interrogation. He pressed play and the video started. Nothing seemed to jump out at him, until Connor asked her about their relationship. 

_ -Before you became the Brooks’ maid? Just after the revolution. _

_ Yes. Irene got me the job with her parents because I needed the money in the worst way. They had no idea me and her knew each other previously, and they never had a clue we were together- _

Gavin paused the Interrogation as something occurred to him. If the parents never knew about their relationship, what was Mrs. Books talking about when she said they “warned” Irene about the android?

Gavin exited the video and pulled up the electronic copy of the Brooks’ given statements, and started to read.

‘ _ We got home and found the android leaning over Irene’s body-’ _

Gavin scrolled down. 

_ ‘We got off our flight a 6:30 am, and caught a cab home. We just got back from a two day convention in Miami.” _

Gavin frowned.

 

A convention in Miami for two days? About what?

He pulled the information up, trying to find the convention the Brooks supposedly went to. He looked into Mr. Brooks bank statement and found the purchase of the plane tickets as well as the 250$ tickets for a HSSOA exclusive seminar. 

And he had no fucking clue what the fuck HSSOA was. 

Fuck it. Why not? He searched HSSOA in his google search bar and their website popped up.  
  
  


**HUMAN SUPREMACIST SOCIETY OVER ANDROIDS CONVENTION**

**Get your tickets now; starting at 100$**

  
  
  


What the fuck?

Gavin raised his eyebrows in dubious surprise. He printed the page off. Fucking what the hell? That sure was something the parents forgot to mention.

Now intrigued, he went back to looking at the given statements. Gavin read through them, a sense of wrong flooding through him as he continued.

Oh fuck that.

 

Gavin picked up his phone, and dialed the number for the airline they used to fly to Miami.

“Hello, this is Karen at Oceanic flight. Are you looking to purchase plane tickets?” 

Gavin recognized the voice of an old android model, VB100. “This is Detective Gavin Reed at the DPD. Badge number 28845. I need some information regarding a case. My Captain, Jeffrey Fowler, can confirm.”

“Processing. Badge Number confirmed. Voice recognition confirmed. Please hold for authorization.”

The awful hold music started playing and Gavin spun around in his chair to see if he could catch a glimpse of Fowler picking up the phone. The blinds were drawn.

After about 5 minutes the music ended and Karen spoke to him. “Permission granted by Jeffrey Fowler. How can I assist you Officer Reed?”

“I need to Know when Neil Brooks, born 5-5-1989, flew back on Oceanic flight 815.”

“Processing. Mr. brooks and his Wife missed that flight. Instead they caught an early flight back to Detroit, the day before that one left. Oceanic flight 341. Would you like me to send the information over?”

“Yes please.”

“Processing. Sent. Is that all I can do for you, Officer Reed?”

“Yep.” Gavin said, popping the p. 

“Very well, Have a good day.”

“You too.” He said without thinking and hung up the phone. An email alert popped up on his screen and he opened it, reading the confirmation for the Brooks regarding an updated flight, which had been accepted.

Irene’s parents were in town the day before her murder?

 

 

 

Things just got so much more complicated.   


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah hopefully this is good and funny, like my sister says, but she's biased and you cant get a true opinion from family lmao. I wrote it all in one night, and I'm slowly losing my mind. I had to cut it down in half lol. That's how much silliness was in this thing before I edited it. 6AM me had a strange sense of humor.


	5. Day One, Part Four; THE FINAL PART OF DAY ONE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gavin and Connor try to track down the Brooks, only to discover they are on the run.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote the whole ending to this first case, and at first the word count was over 30,000 (it's over 9000!) and I SURE as FUCK don't like reading chapters that are that long, so I'm sorry if it's too long let me know, DON'T @ me or I'm GOING TO TELL THE CHURCH.
> 
> Anywho, I've been working on this so long and I'm still not happy with it for some reason. You know that thing that happens when you can't tell if your own writing is good or not? That's my dilemma right there champ. It's a great way to get a headache, lemme tell ya.  
>   
> Also, to top it off my proof reader (you know I love you) won't give me constructive criticism and just says "It's good" and offers nothing else and that's not helpful in the least, seeing how she's all I've got to proof read. Oh well, lmao. I guess that's just something I'll always have to live with. It just hurts, that all.
> 
> Ok I'll stop typing your ears off and go work ON WEDNESDAY

 

One time when Gavin was younger, he had been reading this horoscope page on his laptop… yes at the time, he was a dweeb who believed in that zodiac shit, haha shut up. Anyways, this horoscope bullshit mentioned a whole bunch of useless crap he didn’t care about, which had probably ended up becoming true, but whatever. The only thing Gavin really remembers from this 'incident' was the fact that his horoscope fucking told him that his Libra ass was gonna grow up to be a Fireman. Now, 8 year old Gavin had thought that was the shit, that it was so cool; him a Fireman, hell yeah! 

He had actually bragged to everyone at his school that they were looking at the fucking coolest piece of shit to ever walk the planet, because he was going to be a fucking firefighter. His horoscope fucking told him so, dammit! Gavin had been fully 100 percent convinced that he was going to be a firefighter when he grew up.

Fucking right.  What a joke.

He had actually ended up telling his father about it, one stormy night, at that long expensive dinner table that Gavin hated. The man had just kept going on and on about Gavin growing up to take over the family business, and 8 year old him had wanted nothing to do with that. So he straight up just told his dad no. He told him seriously that he was going to grow up to be a mother-fucking fireman and that he had wanted nothing to do with the company his dad had built from the ground up. The man had immediately flipped his shit and went into a violent, rage induced rant. He hit Gavin for the first time out of nowhere that night, screaming about respect and responsibility. His mother had just sat there and watched, telling him later on that he should learn his place and remember it well.

Those fucking assholes. 

Regardless, Gavin had been salty about his father crushing his dreams, so just to spite him, he grew up and became a fucking Officer of the Law, GET REKT OLD MAN! Which… didn't really prove a point since he didn’t become a fireman, but whatever. Point was, he went against his dearest dad’s wishes and became what he liked to call “mundane”.

And it was going  _ great _ … no, honestly. He was partners with an android who hated him- hell to be completely fair, his entire precinct hated him. His neighbors were assholes. His only true friend was his cat, and DAMMIT his shin was scraped and it still hurt. What’s not to love?

Oh, and he may or may not have let some murderers escape.  

Yep he was still a little angry at himself for letting the Brooks go that morning, because hey, 10 out of 10, they were lying scumbags. Why had he let them go? Oh yeah, just because they fucking asked. Like really? It didn't occur to him that they could have been the perpetrators? 

They sure were in a hurry to leave the fucking crime scene, that was for fucking sure. He shouldn’t have been so courteous and let them leave! God he’s such a dumbass! He was legitimately having the worst day of his entire existence. 

 

 

He should have listened to his horoscope and been a fucking fireman instead. 

 

 

Gavin got up from his desk and paced like a caged lion, feeling angry and apprehensive. He could literally feel the Brooks escaping. It was happening right NOW he could feel it! They needed to find those sick fucks before they got a chance to leave the country! 

Gavin couldn’t do much however, stuck at the station without the bane of his existence  _ (you know who you are, Connor) _ and if Fowler found out he went at it alone, it would seem like he ditched the android and that would be...not great. 

If only Gavin had Connor’s phone number, then he could call the robo cop and tell him to get his steal buns back to the precinct ASAP, because the android had no idea what was going on and Gavin didn’t know how to find him. He’s never wanted to  _ seek _ the android out before - because, **fuck no** \- and had no idea where Connor liked to do his Connor things. 

Goddammit, How much time until lunch was over? Gavin leaned over his desk and checked his computer screen. 

45 minutes until Connor got back. Yeah. ok. That’s not too bad.

Gavin plopped back down in his chair, and waited. The Brooks where out there, regardless. He could wait...

 

...For 30 seconds apparently.

 

“Oh FUCK this!” He shouted at the wall, causing the remaining officers in the precinct to stare. Gavin yelling at a wall in a shady corner all by himself was no new sight to them, so they just went back to eating their lunches and reading their case files. 

Gavin spun around in his chair, surveying the room. Damn it, Someone in this precinct had to know where Hank liked to eat. Probably in a crappy bar somewhere if Gavin had to guess, even if Hank says he’s sworn off alcohol. He looked around the room trying to find someone who knew Hank and Connor well enough to know. Almost everyone had gone off to lunch or was out on a case, and the few people he saw around the room hated him. Most of them probably wouldn't give Gavin a glass of water if his ass was on fire. 

He scowled as he looked from person to person, trying to find someone he had seen Hank with.

Oh look, that guy is a fucking asshole, oh and she's a fucking bitch, that dude is pretty fucking stupid, Hank doesn't like that guy, and- Gavin’s chair kept slowly spinning around and he ended up facing the corner again, which forced him to stop his people judging. He sighed, slumping down in his chair a bit as it all seemed hopeless... wow he was fucking melodramatic today. Gavin shook his head at himself and looked at the plain wall, staring at it and wishing it could tell him all the answers to his problems. Like that one grandmother tree in that old ass Disney movie, Pocahontas. If the wall would magically grow the face of a long-dead relative who knew shit and could tell him things, that’d be an A plus.

God fucking damn it, How was he going to find Connor if the people who were here wouldn’t talk to him? Actually, fuck it, He’ll go talk to them instead, whether they like it or not. If Fowler was  _ so _ convinced they were all supposed to be one big team, then his fucking teammates could shut the fuck up and tell him what he needs to know. 

Gavin spun his chair back around with a renewed sense of determination, looking at the few people there and eventually spotting Officer Reese, who was standing by the small office printer. He decided Reese would be more likely to know Hank’s dining preferences more than anyone else he saw. Reese and Hank use to drink together some nights, so maybe they were friends. 

Deciding to just go for it, Gavin got up and stalked over to the heavy man, trying not to seem angry. See, look how much of a teammate he could be, Gavin even smiled at the son of a bitch to ease the encounter. 

  
  


Reese stood petrified as he watched Reed approach, growing terrified when he got this creepy ass look on his face. He turned away from the psycho detective and scurried over to his desk, which was around people so he could have witnesses. Whatever he did to piss Reed off enough to get him to come over, god he was sorry. 

 

Lord have mercy on him.

 

Gavin frowned when the shorter man made direct eye-contact with him and then proceeded to hobble away to his desk. Gavin awkwardly shuffled after him, because Reese's run was barely even a jog to him. Reese’s short legs could only carry him so fast. No wonder he was always on desk duty. He shuffled after Reese all the way across the fucking room, and the short man finally sat down at his desk, straightening the papers he got off the printer and mumbling to himself, holding his cross necklace. 

Gavin was annoyed. WHY WAS REESE RUNNING? He must have looked so stupid shuffling after the hobbling man all the way across the fucking precinct, and-

Wait... Was...was he praying? Was Reese fucking praying right now?

Gavin rolled his eyes, and barely managed to suppress his scowl. These people acted like he was the fucking Antichrist. Really? Reese was trying to pray him away?

Ignoring it, Gavin walked up to him, intent on getting his information. Even if the guy was clearly hoping he'd go away. “Hey Reese, I need to know where Hank-” Gavin started, attempting to sound nice.

“-I swear Reed, It was Kenny’s idea, I didn't want to!” Reese said, cutting him off, not even turning to look at him.

_ O...k _ …That was concerning on several levels.

Gavin made a face. “What was Kenny’s idea?”

Reese finally looked at him, fully prepared for Gavin to bitch him out about the prank Kenny made him do. When Reed didn’t immediately chew him out, he was surprised to say the least. “You mean, you didn’t come over here because- … oh. Nevermind.” Reese rather not expose himself if he jumped the gun and Gavin didn’t even know about it.

“Hey, nonono, don't pull that shit. What were you going to fucking say?” Gavin snarled. Reese flinched back, and Gavin sighed as his attempt to be friendly swan-dived out the nearest window. 

“-....Nevermind.” Gavin hissed. “Just tell me where Hank usually eats?”

Reese pushed his glasses up his nose and sniffled. “Why you wanna know?” His voice sounded condescending. Which pissed Gavin off. He growled and got in Reese’s personal space. The short man’s eyes started to water and he was shaking. 

“Listen you frog-looking piece of shit, I-” Captain Fowler’s talk with him in the observation room flashed across his mind and suddenly he was paranoid that the police captain was watching him. Gavin immediately straightened up and forced himself to deflate. Looking around, he noticed everyone in the surrounding area was giving him a death glare. Great. Well hopefully one of them reports this to Fowler, because if they don't, Gavin’s _wonderful_ day would be completely ruined. Honestly he didn't mean to snap at him, but Reese was just so pitiful. The shorter cop just really irked him in all the wrong ways... maybe coming to him for help wasn’t the best idea. It was way too late to back down now, though, Gavin didn't want to look like an idiot. Plus he really needed to find the android and fucking gross, he hated that. “-I need to find… Connor.” Gavin forced the name out of his mouth. He made sure his voice was neutral. Reese wiped at his face and relaxed when Gavin stepped back. “...Please.”

Reese’s head snapped up and he looked at Gavin in shock. Did the mean detective just say... please?

Whoa.

He’s only been Connor’s partner for half a day and Connor’s niceness was already rubbing off on him it seemed. Way to go kid! Of course, Reed was still Reed, and the longer he took to reply, the more upset and agitated the scary detective became. Reese decided to help him out, if only for the fact it would send him away. “Hank usually eats at the chicken feed, ya know, Gary’s food place?”

Gavin felt his frustration drop at the new information. Good, now he fucking knew where Connor was and he could go get the android and tell him what the fuck was up. Gavin frowned when he realized that would mean actually seeing and talking to the android after that weird lunch proposal that he just sprung on him not even 20 minutes ago. Urglah.

Gavin honestly had no idea how to handle that. Fuck.

His head hurt as he thought about it. 

Maybe Connor would just act like it didn’t happen? Hopefully? Please. 

“Um...Reed, not that I don't enjoy you standing there and watching me and stuff, but it’s kinda creeping me out here, a little. Sorry.” Reese said, looking extremely awkward. He had sunk back in his chair, frowning so hard that it gave him double chins.

Gavin snapped out of his thoughts and realized he had been staring pretty hard at Reese the whole time. Whoops.

“Uh...thanks…for your help...yeah.” Gavin said awkwardly and turned around to walk away. God no wonder he never talked to anyone, he fucking sucked at it.

  
  
  
  


At the chicken feed, they all stood around a table, laughing and talking. Well all except one. Connor was standing by Hank, who was standing by Chris, who brought Officer James along, who was standing next to Stacy, who was fawning over Jack. 

And they were talking shit about Gavin.

“-Literally it was the worst. So, Reed makes this lady start to cry and doesn’t even apologize for it, or try to fix the situation. And I had to talk her down from giving a complaint against him. You should see his file, Anderson. It’s bigger than yours.” Chris chuckled. Hank laughed lightly in response. He wasn’t really trash talking Gavin like Chris, Stacy, and James were, which Connor was relieved about. He just kinda politely laughed along as he focused on eating his sandwich. 

“I doubt anyone’s file is bigger than mine.” He replied to Chris, biting into his sandwich.

The cops around the table chuckled and Connor hoped that was that, and that they’d segway into another topic, but Jack spoke up. “He sounds awful.”

“He is,” Stacy answered, wrapping an arm around his. “One time he was in the copy room, and I had to go file some papers and literally it was my first week there. I heard about him a lot, mostly people warning me about him because he hates androids-”

Connor tried to keep the frown off his face, but apparently he couldn’t, because Hank nudged him with an elbow and quietly, so he wouldn't interrupt Stacy, asked Connor what was wrong. The android’s LED spun yellow. Everything was wrong. He hated that they were trash talking Gavin.

No, Gavin wasn’t his friend. And yes, he had previously went out of his way to bully Connor. And goodness knows Reed wasn’t the nicest person…

Connor just…well it was just- 

Connor never went around saying bad things about anybody. In fact, he thought  _ no one _ should say bad things about anyone, no matter who they are, and even if those things are true. It was just wrong. Also, Connor wasn’t completely sure if Gavin was all bad, honestly. 

He was actually kinda goofy when he thought  _ no one _ was watching. And a little klutzy. Connor smiled slightly, thinking back to earlier that morning when Gavin fell into a trashcan. And yeah he was pretty much always angry and mean, but he had his moments of niceness, however rare they were.

The point was, Gavin was his current partner regardless if he was mean or not, and his friends expected him to enjoy bad mouthing him? No. He couldn’t even bring himself to fake laugh. 

And how was Chris talking about Gavin this way? Did he not have any sense of partnership? Connor could never do this to Hank, even if he was temporarily someone else's partner. Chris should not be acting this way. Connor could never understand why someone would go against their own partner, even if it was someone like Gavin…

The android grew contemplative when he thought about his own partnership with Gavin so far. He wondered suddenly why Gavin hated androids so much in the first place. When he first met the detective, he assumed it was for the normal human reasons, but now he wasn't sure anymore. It didn't seem quite right. 

Connor actually secretly thought Gavin wasn't really a racist towards androids like the Captain and everybody else thought he was. For example; he was handling the fact that androids were now a people way differently than any actual racist Connor had seen. Gavin kinda just ignored everything, whereas the racist were violent and angry and continued to protest. Gavin was just a angry person in general, and treated everyone the same way, no matter if they were androids or humans. But he could be nice. 

Connor had seen him be nice. 

In fact, Connor had watched Gavin interact with an android one time, and the detective had been almost pleasant towards him. The only android Gavin seemed to have an actual issue with was… Himself.

Connor frowned. The thought of Gavin hating only him rather than all androids somehow hurt his feelings more than any racial slur that's ever been thrown his way.  
  


“Connor….?”

The android refocused.

The whole table was staring at him, and Stacy had moved around to him and was clutching at his shoulders.

Her LED went from orangish-red to blue when she noticed Connor’s LED stopped blinking like a disco ball. She sighed in relief. “Thank god. Are you ok?”

Connor realized he had spaced out and worried them. He straightened his tie and nodded. “Yes I am fine. Sorry if I concerned you.”   


“Concerned? Ha.” Hank said and Connor noticed he looked a little like he had been panicking.

“I’m fine Lieutenant. Just...sidetracked.”

“Oh yeah? About what, your LED went red for a moment there.”

Connor reached his hand up to touch the ring of light and cursed mentally that he had worried Hank. “I'm sorry.”

Hank’s face softened, the way it did for Connor sometimes, and he placed a hand on the android’s back. “You have nothing to be sorry for, Connor.”

Connor smiled and he wanted to hug Hank, but everyone at the table was watching them and he wasn’t sure if the older detective would appreciate- Hank wrapped an arm around him and pulled him in for a hug. 

Connor laughed and couldn't help the big smile that spread on his face, LED a bright healthy blue.

 

“Oh my god. It WORKED LIKE BEETLEJUICE! We said his name too many times! Is that fucking Gavin Reed!?” James said, interrupting the moment and startling everyone. 

“What!?” Hank asked, annoyed. 

James pointed and they all turned around to see a speeding white Dodge Charger angrily swerving down the street, unapologetically loud and boisterous.

“What madman is driving that thing?” Connor heard someone say in the background but the android didn't look to see who. He watched the speeding car as it sharply turned into a parking position, jerking to a stop. 

 

The charger was slanted, which was taking up too much room. The small white car had cut off a man in a black 2025 SUV, and the guy’s anger was tangible, even from the table. The man had his window rolled down and he started yelling out cuss words as none other than Gavin Reed exited his car. 

“YOU ASSHOLE! I was going to park there!” the man yelled.

“Bite me you limp noodle! You should have gotten here faster, you slow fuck!” Gavin yelled back, flipping the guy off.

“Move that crappy piece of shit, NOW, you fucking dick!” the guy said, honking his horn.

“Oh, go grow feathers and shit in a tree, you dickface!” Gavin yelled back, already walking away, he was pissed someone would call his car a piece of shit when clearly it wasn't.

“OH FUCK YOU! ASSHOLE.” The guy yelled back. He angrily gave up and sped away, his tires shrieking loudly.

“NO, FUCK YOU!” Gavin scowled after the asshole’s car and flipped him off again.

He swung around, still glaring after the car, which is why he wasn’t paying attention to where he was walking and ended up stubbing his toe on the curb, fucking hard enough to feel like he broke it, even through his shoe. Gavin cursed loudly and let out a quiet noise of pain "FUCK!" He hissed and bent down to grab his throbbing foot, balancing on one leg like a fucking flaming flamingo as he tried to sooth the pain. His eyes started tearing up involuntarily and all he wanted to do was sit down on the sidewalk and die. He tried to put his foot down after a moment but the second he put pressure on it, pain shot through his leg. It fucking hurt AND GOD DAMMIT it was on the SAME FUCKING leg as his scrape. FUCKING OW. People scurried away from him as he began to yell at his foot like an insane person. “GODDAMMIT, Fucking ow! Piece of shit!” Gavin sighed, infuriated, and shook his foot before setting it down and attempted walking on it. Don't be a fucking pussy, suck it up Reed. He started walking on it and- fuck a duck, holy ouch, that sucked... but nope he would be a badass and ignore it. 

GOD Everything has been going downhill for him ever since that time he accidentally dyed all his white clothes pink in the washer. Yep, that was the exact moment in time that he could pinpoint his life going to shit. If only he had taken out that red flash T-shirt, goddammit... 

But anyways, back on track in the now and present-- Who the fuck puts cement right there!?

 

Connor watched by the table as people parted like the red sea, a very irritated Gavin storming his way past them, slightly limping and looking like a bitchy thundercloud. As he approached, Connor couldn't help but wonder why he was here. Did he change his mind and decide to eat with them?

“Plastic!” Gavin said as a greeting, walking right up to Connor while looking very aggressive, but that could just be because he stubbed his foot- which James and Chris were still stifling their laughter about. Hank and Stacy bristled at Gavin's tone but Connor ignore them. "Detective Reed?" he asked and gave Gavin his full undivided attention.

Which, ew. Gavin felt uncomfortable as the android seemed to stare directly into his soul. He quickly glanced away and noticed Chris and James at the table. What the fuck, why were they here? He decided he didn't care and he just wanted to get talking to Connor about the new turn in their case out of the way.

“There’s something we need to talk about. Let’s go.” Gavin said at Connor, not wanting to go into case talk with...outsiders around. He narrowed his eyes at the others around the table.

“Anything you have to say to him-” Hank said, standing up taller and crowding Reed.

“Hank,” Connor said when he got too close to Gavin. He placed a hand on Hank’s shoulder. “It's ok. I’ll be right back, alright? We're just going to go talk.”

“But-...fine.” Hank said at Connor’s pleading look. The older detective looked reluctant, but he backed off. He sent an icy glare Gavin’s way and the hot-headed detective returned it, ten-fold. Gavin managed to not flip Hank off as he briskly walked (limped) away from the table, back towards his car, Connor following. Hank watched them walk away, trying not to feel like a mother grizzly bear who wanted to kill whoever came near her cub. Fucking Gavin Reed.

As they approached his car, Gavin was suddenly upset at the fact he had given up his full 60 minutes away from Connor and actually went out of his way to seek him out, fuck. That was like, rules number 1,2,3, and 4 of being Gavin Reed;  _ Never actively seek out the android who hates you and could kill you _. 

Gavin tried not to fidget as he felt the android’s eyes on his back. 

Connor followed after him and stopped by the car, only for Gavin to gesture for him to get in. “We’ll talk inside, plastic.”

Gavin scowled at his small car as Connor got inside. He cursed the fact he didn't have a larger one with more space in it. Gavin took a moment before opening his door, breathing in fresh air like it was going to be the last time. He glanced around before leaning towards the car. “Be bigger, be better. Be a limo.” He whispered to the automobile, before getting in. 

 

Once in the car, Gavin felt his nerves go haywire as the android looked directly at him. WHY THE FUCK- oh right. He brought Connor in here for a talk.

Except he didn’t exactly know how to start it. ‘Hey Connor, I let the parents go this morning because they needed to grieve and now it turns out they might have killed their daughter?’ No he wasn’t going to say that. Welp. Oh IDEA; when in doubt let letters speak louder than words. Gavin reached into his inside pocket and pulled out two papers, before he wordlessly handed them over to Connor. Crisis averted.

One paper was for the website;

**HUMAN SUPREMACIST SOCIETY OVER ANDROIDS CONVENTION**

**Say NO to android infestation.**

**Get your tickets now; starting at 100$**

**For members only**

Connor read. “Um...Detective Reed, what-?”

“The Convention Irene’s parents went too, for that ‘two’ days.” Gavin said, making air quotes when he said two. He fidgeted when Connor frowned.

The android looked back at the paper, reading more about it. Gavin rolled his eyes.“Look at the other one, plastic.”

Connor glanced at him before he switched the papers, laying the flight upgrade on top. He read, LED turning yellow as he became more and more suspicious. “I read through their statements, they said they got back after the time of the murder. This is a flight that would put them in town the day-”

“-before Irene’s murder, yes.” Gavin said, getting annoyed.

“This was a members only Seminar for anti-android- ...they...If they found out about Emily and Irene, It’s a motive.” Connor grimaced, he handed the papers back to Gavin. 

“Yeah I know.” The human said, folding the papers and putting them back in his pocket.

“Let’s go back to the station and track them down. Bring them in for questioning and see what they have to say for themselves.” Connor said, buckling his seat belt as Gavin started the car. He felt a little bad about leaving Hank, but the android had to admit to himself he was glad to be getting away from the trash talk about his new partner. He looked at Gavin, who was turned in his seat, watching the road so he could back out. 

The detective’s grey eyes flicked over to him, and Gavin gave him a menacing look but said nothing before looking back to the road.

He desperately wished he could figure out why Gavin Reed hated him so much.

 

Gavin backed his car up and drove right past Hank and the others. He flipped them off.

Those bitches.

  
  


 

Once they arrived back at the station, Gavin and Connor immediately tried to call the Brooks in for questioning, but surprise-surprise, their cell phones didn’t even ring out. And fuck if that wasn’t alarming.

Gavin tried calling again, While Connor contacted their service provider. 

“Detective Reed, It appears their cell phones are still in working order.” Connor said across from him, at his new desk. Gavin hung the phone up and turned on his computer.

“Let’s see if we can track the last known place their phones were.” He started typing in the database.

“While you do that, I will see if I can track the Brooks’ credit cards.” Connor replied, turning on Chris’- well, no ...his computer. 

Gavin nodded at him absently as he tried searching for their phones. The only last known location was at their house that morning and no new updates could be found. And no signal either. It seemed that they destroyed their phones, or at least pulled the batteries out, either way, they couldn’t be tracked that way. Gavin scowled at his computer. “You find anything?” He asked Connor.

“No. Did you?” the android asked back, peering at him from above his computer. The blue glow from the computer made Connor’s eyes softer looking somehow.

“No.” Gavin said shortly and looked back at his computer. “Yeah, It appears Irene’s parents are on the run. I think it’s safe to assume they’re our prime suspects now. I can’t find them. They’re gone. Deactivated their cell phones Someway.”   
  
“They haven't used their credit cards since before the trip.” Connor’s LED turned yellow for a split second in thought. “Where was the last known place their cell phones were?”    
  
“At the crime scene this morning. I asked a beat cop, Officer Simpson I believe, to take them away from the house so they could grieve. I have no idea where he took them, just not out of town. A officer was supposed to be with them at all times and they were going to be brought in for questioning in the morning.” Gavin said, feeling like an idiot.   
  
“Let’s call Simpson and see where he took them.” Connor was already looking for his phone number. 

 

He found the number and his LED spun yellow as he called the officer. On the third ring he picked up.  “Hello, this is Peter Simpson.”

_ "Hello Peter, This is Connor Anderson from the DPD.” _

“Connor! Hey, my main android man, what’s up?”

_"I have a quick question for you. This morning when you drove the Brooks away from the crime scene, where did you take them?”_

“Well, that's simple. I took them to the Holiday Inn on 12th street. It’s like, 5 blocks from their house.”

_ “And the officer watching them, who was it?” _

“Homer Griffin, I believe.”

_ “Thank you Peter, you’ve been very helpful.” _

“Sure Connor, we’ll have to hang out sometime, catch ya later.”

_ “Goodbye Peter.” _

Connor’s LED went blue as Simpson hung his cellphone up. He blinked and looked at Gavin, who looked like he was highly uncomfortable. Connor realized he had accidentally made the call while looking directly at the nervous detective. Oops. “Detective, I just got off the phone with Peter Simpson. He said he took them to the Holiday Inn on 12th street. Homer Griffin was supposed to be the officer with them.”

 

“...Cool. I’m going to call the Hotel. You call Griffin.” Gavin tried not to sound freaked out. God, Connor needed a paper bag to put onto his head whenever he made phone calls. Fucking freaky. That blank look he got reminded Gavin too much of the blankness Connor had on his face in the evidence room when he thought the android would kill him-

The detective rubbed at his neck as he picked up the phone to call the hotel. No time for that.

The phone rang out for a few moments before the line was picked up and a guy answered. “Hello this is Aiden at the Holiday Inn, how can I help you today?”

“Hello Aiden, I’m detective Gavin Reed with the DPD. I need some information regarding two people, a man and his wife. If-”

“I’m sorry sir, we do not give that information out over the phone. If you have a query pertaining to our hotel or any of our guest, you’ll need to come in person and bring your ID-”

“God dammit.” Gavin hung up and fucking redialed. It rang out again and this time a woman picked up.

“Hello, this is Suzie at the holiday Inn, how may I assist you today?”

“Yes hi Suzie, Is there an android I can talk to up there?”

“...you want to talk to an android…?”

“Yep.”

“But sir, I answered the phone, I’m human, wouldn’t you rather-”

“Look I don’t have the time or the patience to deal with your racism, can you please put the android on? Thanks.”

She went silent and then the hold music started playing. Gavin tapped his foot impatiently and glanced up to see Connor watching him with interest. Fuck no. Gavin swerved his chair and faced the wall instead.

  
  


“Hello, this is Lana. I am a android receptionist at the Holiday Inn.” Lana said into the phone softly. She was a little surprised when Suzie yelled at her to answer the phone, that the guy specifically asked for her. She’s been working at the Holiday Inn for three weeks now and has never once had a customer. She had to fight for her job here and was the first free android to work at the hotel since the revolution. She wondered sometimes if she should quit or not, the people here were so mean to her and she felt very alienated. But she didn’t want to give up. Someone had to fight for her people here, it might as well be her. 

“Hey Lana, this is detective Gavin Reed at the DPD.” the human man spoke and wow, Lana had almost forgotten what a friendly and professional voice sounded like. 

“Hello Gavin, How can I help you.”

“I need information regarding two suspects on a case. My badge number is 28845. My Captain, Jeffrey Fowler, can confirm.” He replied, and Lana’s LED spun yellow as she absorbed the information. 

Gavin Reed popped up on her interface, and she matched the voice on the phone to a recording of him at the DPD. Match 100%. She then ran the badge number in her central database and it brought up police detective Gavin Reed. ID confirmed.

Lastly she searched Jeffrey Fowler and confirmed that he was reigning police Captain for Gavin’s precinct. A number was listed under his name that she could call for confirmation.

“Please hold on a moment as I call Captain Fowler, Gavin.”

“Sure.”

Lana put Gavin on hold and called Jeffrey Fowler Internally. Her LED spun yellow once more, and she seemed to space out as the call connected.

“Someone better be dead, who is this?”

_ “Captain Fowler of the DPD?” _

“Yes this is he. Who am I talking to?”

_ “This is Lana at the Holiday Inn.” _

“Ok Lana at the Holiday Inn, what can I do for you?”

“ _I have Detective Reed on the line. He needs some information regarding some of our guest. Can you confirm?”_

“Yes. I acknowledge that the information he’s asking for is sensitive and accept the confidentiality required for it. My detective, Gavin Reed, is under contract to keep this information private, any violation of that contract can result in loss of job, or even prison time. Is that good enough for you Lana at the Holiday Inn? I’ve got paperwork to do.” 

_ “Yes.Thank you Captain Fowler. Have a pleasant day.” _

“You too.”

The connection ended and Lana picked the phone up and pushed resume so she could talk to Gavin again. “Detective Reed?”

“-lastic. Oh, sorry, What?”

“I Just got confirmation from Jeffrey Fowler, what can I assist you with?”

“Neil and Lisa Brooks. I need to find their Hotel room.”

Lana frowned and typed in the names, pulling up no results. She tried again but still got nothing. “We have no one in the system under that name.”

“Really? Fuck. Are you sure?”

“Yes sir.”

“Dammit.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t do more." She meant it, feeling slightly useless. "Was that all I can do for you?”

“Yeah, thank you.”

“Good luck Detective.” Lana felt bad. Her first real task since she got here and she couldn’t even help.

“You too.” Gavin said and hung up.

Lana put the phone down and looked to her right where all her human coworkers were staring at her.

  
  
  
  


Gavin put the phone down and turned to Connor. “Yeah, turns out the Brooks never even checked in.”  
  
“I already scanned through the surrounding street cameras by the hotel. No sign of them there either.” Connor answered, typing away at his computer. 

“Great. It seems Irene’s parents fucking houdinied that shit and vanished out of existence...and you said Griffin wasn’t answering his phone?”

“Yes. I called three times. You don’t think he’s hurt, do you?” Connor looked up from his computer. 

Gavin shrugged and leaned forward, resting his forearms on his desk. “I don’t know.”   
  
Connor grimaced and tried to think. “We need to put out a APB on them, make sure they can’t fly anywhere, if they are still in Detroit. We also need a list of their friends or people they’d stay with, along with a record of everything they’ve bought on their credit cards. See if Mr. Brooks had ownership of any golf clubs.”   
  
Gavin nodded. “We also need to talk to Emily again. Find out a little more about her relationship with Irene’s parents. She claims they had no clue about her and Irene, but this morning-”   
  
“Mrs. Brooks said they warned her against the android.”   
  
“Exactly.”   


Connor turned back to his computer. “I'm going to cross check Mr. Brooks' bank statement for the golf clubs. Would you check Mrs. Brooks'?”

“Sure.” Gavin said and Connor raised an eyebrow at his easy compliance. He was still so shocked every time Gavin put the case above his own personal feelings. The android was impressed he could be so professional. Connor wondered why nobody else seemed to notice how much Gavin respected his job.

Connor shook his head a little and refocused. Now was not the time to wonder at the puzzle Gavin Reed was.

 

“Mrs. Brooks has a 2,000 dollar golf set, bought on her credit card, December 12th of 2037.” Gavin said after 10 minutes had rolled by. Connor looked up, having gone through Mr. brooks account a second time when he found nothing. The android got up and walked around the desk to look at Gavin’s computer. 

Gavin started feeling slightly queasy when the android leaned over his shoulder to look at the computer screen, he moved to the edge of his seat, just to get away from Connor. The android kinda had him boxed in and he was not feeling that, nope. He scooted his chair farther up to try to get the hint across to Connor, but the android was just reading and payed him no mind. 

“Print that off Detective Reed, we’ll need it.” Connor said after he looked at the proof of purchase. Gavin hit print and turned his chair around forcefully, so Connor would have to step back and let him out, dammit.

Gavin got up and walked over to the printer, snatching the warm paper up. He returned to Connor and handed it over. “So now that we got that done, what’s our next step?”

“Let’s talk to Emily.” 

  
  
  


Gavin and Connor brought Emily into the interrogation room to resume questioning. Or Connor did anyways, Gavin stood in the corner of the room like he was in some kind of time out because the EM400 wouldn’t talk to him. He leaned back against the wall and watched the two androids talk.

“Emily, what can you tell us about Irene’s relationship with her parents?” Connor asked her, his voice was even more gentle than usual, which Gavin couldn’t see how that was possible. 

Emily looked exhausted and that was saying a lot for an android. Her eyes where even more empty than before and she had teardrop streaks down her face. Gavin was struck with how human she looked. Even without the perfect imperfections Connor had been made with, she just looked so… real. She looked so heartbroken.

“Irene and her parents had their differences.” Emily sighed. 

“Including…?”

“Irene didn’t want to become a lawyer so she could take over her father’s firm. They pushed her into DLU.”

“That must have caused some fights?”

“It did, for sure. Irene wanted to write books, and her father told her there was no money in it, and that she was supposed to uphold the Brooks family name by becoming respectable. Irene had never been able to tell her parents no, so she gave in.”

“Was Irene happy?”

“Not with the way her future was going, no. She is -….was. She was -” Emily sucked in a breath. “She was happy in general. Always smiling, always laughing. She was well liked by her peers. She just… made a few bad decisions because of it.” Connor reached forward and squeezed her hand, drawing a very weak smile from the other android. He let go of her hand only after Emily looked a little more stable than she had before. 

“Did she ever mention anything strange about her parents?” He asked after a moment.

“Strange?” Emily questioned, LED spinning yellow in thought. “What do you mean?”

“Did she ever mention any fights or-”

“No. Nothing...strange. Her and her parents fought all the time, but it was just verbal arguments.”

“Emily, did Irene’s parents ever act any way towards you?” Connor’s LED spun yellow for a split second. “Did they show any racism towards you?”

“Well… they paid me the money I earned, but...they did show some racism yes. The only reason I got the housekeeping job with them was because they said, and I quote; “You robots are meant to clean up after us.” I definitely didn't want to work for them but I got to spend more time with Irene. They made me do all kinds of degrading stuff, but Irene was worth it.”

“Were you aware that the convention they went to this past weekend was a Human supremacist seminar that promoted Android slavery?”

“I…” Emily frowned. “...had no idea.”

“They were members of the group HSSOA and were android anti-activist. Is there even the slightest chance Irene’s parents knew about your relationship, Emily?” Connor asked. Finally.

“I don’t think so. We hid it pretty well Connor. The only way they could have found out is if Irene told them herself.” Emily frowned.

“And do you know of any place the Brooks would go? If say, they needed a place to get away for a couple of days.”

Emily frowned harder. “Why are you asking me all these things?”

“Emily, please. Just anything you can think of.”

Emily sighed and moved her hands to cover her eyes, LED a bright yellow. “Well… I heard from Irene that her parents were planning on remodeling their house once more. It was back when I had just started working for them, so I was curious. She explained that they remodeled all the time and that they have a little house somewhere in Detroit that they stay in when it happens. They never remodeled though”

“Another house? They own no other property.” Gavin spoke up from his position at the wall. “When I ran their names, the only residence listed was the house on Hale.”

Emily scoffed. “No it wouldn't be under their name. Irene has a Grandmother who lives in Paris and would stay in that house when she came to visit them. It's her house, but she let's them use it when she's in Paris. It’s under her husband’s name, but she and her husband never legally got married so she only pops up with the last name Xavier in the database. You wouldn’t be able to find it unless you looked for it under his name.”

“And how do you know that?” Gavin asked. Connor shot him a look at the dirty tone he used.

Emily scowled at him. “Irene told me the story of how her Grandfather and Grandmother had a rather scandalous marriage. It was a pretty funny story so she didn’t mind sharing it. I scanned her Grandmother when I met her, and she was only in the system under her maiden name. I just drew the conclusion from there.”

Connor shared a look with Gavin. “Where is this house located?” he asked her.

“I’ve never been there and I only met Irene’s grandmother once. I couldn’t tell you.”

“Do you know her Married name?”

“No. I don’t. I just got her a glass of water and that was the only interaction we had with each other.”

Gavin sighed in barely concealed annoyance, but Connor smiled softly at her. “That’s ok, Emily. Thank you, you’ve been very helpful.” 

Connor stood up to go and Gavin was already walking ahead of Connor towards the door.

“Wait!” Emily said, causing both men to stop and turn around. Connor was still in the room, his back facing Gavin who was out in the hall. When Gavin turned to look back at Emily the door slid back shut with a hiss right in his face, cutting him off from the rest of that conversation. He stared at the door in shock, not knowing if he should be offended. 

“Fuck!” He said to the closed off room, and looked around the empty hall. He didn't want to miss what Emily was saying. Gavin reached for the scanner on the wall, and before he could even touch it, it blinked red at him. “Access denied.”

“ARE YOU KIDDING ME!”

  
  


Connor looked at Emily, eyebrows drawn together with concern. He ignored the hiss of the door sliding shut. “Yes?” 

The older android model stood up so she was eye level with him. “What do Irene’s parents have to do with any of this?” Emily asked shakily.

Connor hesitated. “I...cannot discuss an ongoing case. I’m sorry Emily.”

A tear ran down her face and she nodded. “Just… tell me when you catch her killer. Please. I need to know that Irene’s murderer is brought to Justice.”

After a moment Connor bowed his head in a silent promise. “I will Emily.”  He looked back up at her. “You are no longer a suspect and you’re going to be released, a cop will escort you out of the building and take you anywhere you want to go. We’ll be in touch...Goodbye Emily.”

“...goodbye Connor.” she sat back down and stared blankly at the wall.

 

When Connor walked out into the hallway, he saw Gavin randomly laying on his back in the middle of the floor, sprawled out with one leg bent under him. He was staring up at the ceiling with a look of intense hatred and Connor looked around the hall checking for an assailant. Seeing no one, he looked back towards Gavin with raised eyebrows. 

“De...tective?” he asked. Gavin looked startled and quickly stood up, straightening out his jacket. He offered no explanation as to why he was on the floor and Connor just chose to ignore the human’s strange behavior. “We should try to find the grandmother’s house, although, if she was never legally married, no record of the husband is on file, which means it could be anywhere, under any last name, we have no way of knowing. It could be where the Brooks are hiding out, seeing as it has no link to them. ”

“So do you think we should go back to Irene’s parent’s house?” Gavin asked, he turned away from Connor and started walking towards the door, to hide his embarrassment. Honestly he hadn’t meant to end up on the floor. It just kind of happened when he tried to karate kick the scanner for being a little bitch. Shit happens. Connor must never know.

“Yes, maybe there’s something there that can help us find the grandmother’s house.” Connor said, even though he calculated that the chances of finding any hints there were slim. He followed after Gavin in what was quickly becoming a routine.

“That’ll be a fuckin valuable waste of time. Let’s just go find a needle in a fucking haystack while we’re out.” Gavin muttered under his breath. 

Though Connor was sure he wasn’t supposed to hear it, the android smiled in amusement. 

  
  


 

The house on Hale St. was completely closed off and the police cars from earlier where gone. The neighborhood was eerily silent. 

Gavin took a moment to look at the outside of the enormous house, trying to imagine what it was like here for Irene. He could probably relate to her. He hoped wherever she was in the afterlife, she could be whatever the fuck she wanted to be. Be with whoever she wanted to be with. 

“We should start by looking in Mr. Brooks’ home office. There is 15% higher chance of us finding something pertaining to the grandmother’s house in there.” Connor said and Gavin snapped back to the present.

“Whatever plastic, lets just go.” He pushed his thoughts away and walked up the long sidewalk, going into the house. It was abnormally quiet inside, and Gavin felt as though every little noise he made was disrupting something sacred. Connor made his way upstairs, going straight for the father’s office.

Gavin however, stayed downstairs and looked around.

The afternoon sunlight filtered in through the big windows, casting a soft warm glow on the impersonal furniture in the living room. There was a big oil painting of a family portrait hanging on the mantel above the fireplace. Gavin took the painting in, noticing the cold stare of the father, but Irene and her mom where both smiling warmly. 

He shook his head and walked around the classical sofa, to the bookshelf, taking in the book titles. 

An unmarked big pink book caught his attention, and he reached for it. 

It was a photo album of the family. He flipped through it, taking in the very posed family photos. He wondered if the Brooks ever stopped acting like the perfect family they weren't. 

“Detective Reed?”

“Fuck!” Gavin jolted and dropped the heavy photo album. It crushed his foot. Yep, the one he stubbed on the curb. That same foot just so happened to be attached to the leg he fucked up on the chair. That same chair who was innocently standing just 15ft away from him-  and great now he was thinking about the embarrassing moment that morning when the android  _ caught him  _ and now he was going to be sick. __

“The office upstairs is very...sparse. I found nothing up there.” Connor said, staring at the heavy photo album on the detective’s foot, he cringed internally. The Detective looked ready to scream. Connor couldn't hide his grimace as he watched his partner remove his foot out from under the heavy book.

“Figures.” Gavin said in a strained voice and hastily backed away from Connor. He walked around the android to the entrance of the room. His eyes were watering but that was ok. He walked through the pain like a man, because Detective Gavin Reed was a badass and he wouldn't let the small matter of a crushed foot bother him and- fuck that hurt.

Gavin sat down in the chair that fucked him up that morning. #no regrets

Connor stayed silent and bent down to pick up the photo album, starting to flip through it like Gavin had been doing. “Maybe we should check the kitchen.” Connor said absently as he scanned the photos he saw.

“The kitchen?”

Connor stopped flipping the pages and turned to face him. “Hank likes to keep all his junk mail on the kitchen counter.”

Gavin rolled his eyes. He was casually holding his throbbing right foot and he had taken his shoe off. “These people are a little bit more sophisticated than Hank, Plastic.”

Connor turned back to the photo album. “Sophisticated isn’t the word I’d describe them as. They murdered their own child and then fled. I’d call them criminals.” 

Gavin stayed quiet from his position by the entrance way, watching the android as he flipped the pages. The android stopped flipping at one page and after scanning it, showed it to Gavin. “The Grandmother.”

Gavin leaned forward in the chair to look at it. The elderly woman looked nothing like a grandmother; Long blonde hair, dyed most likely, bright makeup and a outfit that looked like it was made for a 20 year old. Gavin frowned at her snooty expression. "you're sure that’s her?”

“Yes. I scanned her. Her name is Lane Xavier, Mother of Lisa Xavier; now Lisa Brooks.”

“That picture looks at least 10 years old, don't you think?” Gavin asked, sitting up straight.

Connor turned the photo album back to himself. “I suppose so, yes.” He took the photo out and shut the book, placing it back on the shelf. “We should continue looking around. See if we can find a delivery slip or a phone number, something to help us out.”

“Ok. you go check the kitchen like you wanted to, I'm going to look around.” Gavin said from his unmoving position on the chair. 

“If you insist, detective.” Connor said and briskly walked out of the room. He passed Gavin and turned the corner, disappearing down the hallway.

Gavin stared after him. Fuck, Maybe he offended the android with that Hank comment. 

  
  
  


The search of the house was proving to be useless and it worsened Gavin’s already bad mood, so he started cussing out all of the furniture he came across.

See that lamp? Fuck that lamp.

Oh hey, a table? What an asshole.

He was so over this entire thing, Honestly he’d rather be locked in a broom closet with Connor at the moment- Well, maybe not that extreme, but he was pretty annoyed. He kept turning up empty handed and it was driving him crazy. 

The fucking Brooks could be anywhere right now and they were wasting so MUCH time trying to find a house that they may or may not be hiding in. They could totally be out of Detroit at the moment, despite the APB Connor placed on them, and here they were, in a fucking empty ass house, walking in circles. Or limping. Damn his foot hurt. He was still holding his shoe, finding that his foot hurt less with it off.

“Detective Reed!” Connor called from somewhere in the large house, and Gavin immediately started limping towards him. 

“Where are you?” 

“I'm coming your way!” Connor said, walking up the basement stairs. He rounded the corner and saw Gavin walking down the hallway. Connor held out a dusty picture frame. “Look what I found!”

Gavin grabbed the broken frame and handed Connor his shoe, much to the android’s confusion. He flipped Gavin’s shoe around and examined it as if it was evidence, while Gavin held the picture frame in both hands and looked at the old picture.

In the picture a young woman, Lane Xavier, was standing in the small yard of a small, but fancy house, smiling big at a young man. The for sale sign in the yard said ‘sold’. The man had his arms wrapped around her in a happy embrace. Gavin looked for an address, but the photo was too focused on the happy couple. “It'd be nice if we had an address to go off of-”

“I scanned the photo detective, the man is Peter O'hare. He owns a house here in detroit, but lives in Paris.”

“What’s the address?” Gavin prompted, handing the picture back.

“1720 Alma Dr. It’s not even an hour from here.” Connor answered. He took the photo back and looked at it again, handing Gavin back his shoe. “If we left right now, we could avoid the out of school traffic.”

“Well, Let’s go!” Gavin said. He turned around and walked down the hallway and out the front door. Connor followed after him, frowning when Gavin walked out into the yard.

“Detective Reed, I insist you put your shoe back on, please. There could be an number of hazardous things that could harm your foot.” the android said, keeping the comment about the current state of Gavin’s foot to himself. Gavin didn't need to hurt his foot anymore than he already has, the detective had just stopped limping when he dropped the album on his foot. Surely more caution on Gavin's part would prevent something else from happening...

“Fuck off toaster don’t tell me what to do!” Gavin said even as he slid his shoe back onto his swollen foot, not bothering to put it on properly. He just sotra slipped his foot in, bending the back of his black shoe down, making it look like some kind of slip on shoe instead of a tennis shoe.

Connor was unsatisfied with it but at least Gavin had something protecting his foot now.

They got into the car and Gavin typed the address into the GPS. It mapped out their course and Gavin sighed internally when it said it would take 55 minutes, minus traffic. He pulled out of the driveway, silently resigning himself to it. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. 

He glanced at Connor. The android was staring out the window watching the road, he had his coin out and was flipping it between his fingers. Gavin tried not to be immediately annoyed, so he smashed his irritation down, not wanting to risk snapping at Connor again. Besides that, Connor didn’t seem inclined to talk to him. Good.

“Detective, we should be cautious.” Connor said. So much for not talking. Gavin refrained from hitting his head on the steering wheel out of pure agony.  “The Brooks could be armed.”

“Pfft. Could be. Regardless, we’re going after them.” Gavin said, eyes firmly fixed on the road. He could see the sunlight that kept glinting off the coin and if he looked over, he might do something crazy….like snatching it and hurling it out a window.

“Maybe we should call in for some backup?” Connor asked.

“What? Fuck no. We don't need back up, plastic. I can pretty much take them by myself and-” Gavin snapped his mouth shut, not believing he was about to bring up the fact he knew personally that Connor could kick ass. That he was about to mention the fight he had with the android, just like that. Maybe that was what the android was waiting for. Maybe he was waiting for Gavin to mention something and that’s why he hasn’t done anything yet. 

Connor tried not to shake his head in disapproval at the Detective’s obvious arrogance. Now was not the time to be cocky. One bullet was all it would take to kill either one of them, and Connor had no intention of dying. But maybe Gavin was right, the chances of the Brooks having a gun were low. Unless they did something to Officer Griffin and stole his gun. “I still think it would be wise to call it in.”

"Plastic, we can take one armed man and his debutante wife.”

Connor turned back to the window. Stubborn man. Idiot. If he gets shot, Connor would happily tell him ‘I told you so’. 

Worry clawed at the android’s stomach. He ran a finger along the edge of his coin, counting the familiar ridges and finding comfort in them. “Please wear a vest, detective.” He blurted out after a long stretch of silence. Connor cursed his traitorous mouth. He hadn’t meant to say that, was his processor broken?

Regardless it was out there and Gavin was staring at him now. 

“Fine if it’ll get you off the ‘let's call for backup’ dickwagon, I’ll wear a fucking vest.”

Connor forced himself not to smile. “Thank you, detective.”

Gavin rolled his eyes. ”Whatever. Let’s go catch us some Assholes.”

  
  
  


The tiny house from the photo had aged a bit, the color was duller, and the roof shingles looked like they needed to be replaced. It looked highly unassuming and Gavin made Connor check that they were in the right place.

Gavin had parked all the way down the street to avoid alerting the Brooks to their presence and the walk was killing his foot. He had put his shoe back on correctly and it was fucking him over. He ignored it however as they crept towards the house.  

He stopped, crouched down by the small white picket fence that framed the front yard. Connor was ahead of him and the android scanned the house while they prepared.

“Detective, I think you should go in through the front door. I’ll enter from the back of the house. If they try to run from you, I’ll be able to stop them that way.”

Gavin nodded, completely fine with Connor doing all the running if it came down to it.

“Alright, let me get around back before you enter the house.” Connor said.

“Got it.” Gavin watched Connor move away and when he reached the corner of the fence, the android stopped to send him a look and a thumbs up. Gavin drew his eyebrows together and shook his head, expression going sour as he returned the android’s thumbs up with a hardcore thumbs down, just because he wanted to.

Connor stopped himself from rolling his eyes as he moved away, silently, edging his way around the fence so he could jump it and get into the back yard.

 

Gavin waited for five minutes, awkwardly crouched down next to an ant hill, which he would throw a bitch fit if he got bit by one, no joke. Finally he decided fuck it, that was enough time for Connor to figure his shit out, so he left his hiding spot to approach the door. When the human detective reached his destination, he took a deep breath and promptly started to pound on the door. “DPD OPEN UP! THIS IS THE POLICE.”

Gavin pounded on the door once more before drawing his gun and trying the doorknob. The door easily swung open and he walked inside cautiously. “POLICE!”

He checked the living room and the hallway, not finding anyone there. So he headed towards the the kitchen and almost had a heart attack when Connor met him halfway through the hallway coming from the other side. “No one’s back there.” Connor said to him, ignoring the fact he scared the shit out of Gavin just now, that asshole. 

So, other than the android, the first floor was completely empty. Fuck. “It’s clear down here. Let’s check up stairs.” Gavin said lowly to Connor and the android nodded, taking point as they quietly headed upstairs. 

When they reached the top, Gavin took the bedroom on the right, making sure to check under the bed and in the closet, while Connor took the bedroom on the left, stopping first to check the small bathroom. 

Gavin found nothing in the sparsely decorated room. “Clear!” he called out.

“Clear!” Gavin heard the android yell back and he lowered his gun in defeat, kicking the bed post with his injured foot like a idiot. A searing pain shot up his leg and he immediately started to regret every decision he's ever made in his life that had ended up bringing him to this exact moment. “FUCK!” He yelled through clenched teeth and he sat down on the bed, taking the weight off of his foot. He hissed in pain as he glared at the offending appendage. A loud bang sounded as the android showed up in his room, alarmed and frowning, with his gun raised, door nearly hanging off it's hinges from where he had thrown it open. When he realized Gavin wasn’t under attack, Connor put his DPD issued glock away. “Are you alright?” he asked a wide-eyed Gavin.

Gavin just stared at him like he grew a second head, tensed up to the point of complete silence because-  _ fucking seriously _ , the android of his nightmares just had a fucking  _ gun _ pointed at him,  _ holy shit.  _ "Detective?" Connor asked in concern when he didn't answer, walking closer to the bed. Gavin leaned away from him as he approached, holding his hurt foot almost protectively. Connor slowed to a stop and grimaced at the look on his face. "I didn't mean to startle you, I just heard you yell and-" Connor frowned and looked away. Gavin blinked when Connor's words caught up with him. He breathed out a disbelieving noise when he realized Connor had only drawn the gun because the android had thought he was in trouble. Connor hated guns, everyone knew that about him. Why would he get it out on the off chance Gavin was in trouble- unless he was going to finish what they started and shoot him in the face. Why would Connor even  _ want  _ to help him after all he’s done to the android?

“...I’m fine plastic.” He answered when he realized he had been staring Connor down for too long. “No one is here anyways.”

“Yeah, I know.” Connor said, relieved at the break in silence. “I thought they would be here.” He chanced a glance at the detective, judging his reaction cautiously. Gavin was getting angry about all this 'jerking around' (as Gavin had said so eloquently in the car) and He wanted to know just how much this recent empty handedness enhanced that. He didn't want to say or do anything to 'poke the bear', so to speak. 

“Yeah me too.” Gavin hissed in annoyance, adjusting his hurt foot. He had hoped they’d be here so they could get this shit done with and he could go home and pretend none of this ever happened.

“Where else could they be? Is there an attic in the house?” Connor asked, looking around the room, as if a fucking attic would appear. In Connor’s experience, people liked to hide upwards.

“No I don't think so.” Gavin got up off the bed, putting as little weight as possible on his foot before he walked out of the room and headed towards the stairs. Connor followed him, LED yellow. He looked at the ceiling on the way, just to make sure they didn't miss a place where people could hide... _upwards._

“What about a basement?” Connor asked after a moment.

“No basement, just the two floors. The garage?”

“I checked the kitchen, laundry room, and the garage when I came in through the back. The only thing in the garage was a grey car, registered to Lane Xavier.”

“Then what about a cellar?” Gavin sighed.

“I-” Connor stopped and thought back to when he had walked through the backyard. “Yes, there is a cellar, out in the back.”

“Let’s go fucking check it then.” Gavin said hastily, heading down the hall towards the kitchen. The human detective wrenched the backdoor open and stormed outside, looking around for the cellar. He spotted it close to the back of the garage. 

  
  
  


The doors on the cellar were hanging open, banging against the concrete surrounding them as if someone had just thrown them open.

“Wait, the doors weren’t open before!” Connor exclaimed from behind him. The android immediately pushed past Gavin and jumped the steps of the back porch, running around the house and hopping over the backyard fence all before Gavin could even react.

 

_ Oh shit! _

 

Suddenly Gavin could hear tires screech on pavement as someone hurridley backed up, and he turned around, running through the house and right out onto the front porch, just in time to see Connor hop on the hood of a 2035 grey Mustang. 

“Halt! You’re Under arrest!” The android cop yelled at the Brooks through the windshield of the car. 

“Connor!” Gavin aimed his gun at the car, aiming for the car’s tires. “What the fuck are you doing!”

The small car swerved back at a sharp speed, throwing Connor off of it and onto the street, painfully. Gavin started shooting at the car’s tires the moment Connor hit the pavement, trying to stop the brooks before they could get away again.

Connor sat up, struggling to stand, and Gavin could actually see the exact moment Mr. Brooks decided to run him over. The darkness of the windshield made him look grotesquely evil and the human detective started running towards Connor. “MOVE YOUR ASS CONNOR!”

The android was halfway standing, LED red as blue blood oozed from the scrape on his face. Connor froze, wide-eyed as Mr. Brooks revved the engine and gunned the car. He was headed straight towards him, and Connor couldn’t move, all he could think about was that if he died, he wouldn’t come back again.

“FUCK!” Gavin yelled as the car took off and he ran faster at Connor, tackling the frozen android out of the way just in time. “YOU DUMBASS!” Gavin stood back up in front of Connor and started shooting at the back of the car as it zoomed past them. 

He hit the back left tire of the vehicle and it blew out, causing Mr. Brooks to swerve and crash up onto the curb, his car slamming into a brick mailbox, jerking to a hard stop. Suddenly everything was quiet, and Gavin sighed in relief. He took a moment to glance down at Connor and the android was staring up at him, a look on his face Gavin couldn’t describe. He scowled at Connor, not happy at the whole ‘getting up close and personal’ with Connor on the street thing. He couldn’t believe that he actually touched the android. His nerves started acting up, and Connor still had that weird look on his face.

“Next time, move out of the way plastic. That would help out a lot.” He didn’t see any other wounds on the android, so he didn't wait for a reply and he ran over to the car instead, putting much needed distance between them.

When he reached the disfigured automobile, Gavin angrily threw the door open. He glowered at Mr. Brooks, who had blood running down his face and glass from the windshield on his suit. The dazed man could barely move, but Gavin didn’t give a shit. “You have the mother fucking right to remain fucking silent asshole!” He snarled, punching Mr. Brooks square in the eye. 

He wrenched the guy’s seat belt off and bodily dragged him from the car, before throwing the struggling asshole on the street and punching his fucking lights out. The man went limp and Gavin got out his handcuffs.

Mrs. Brooks woke up from where she had passed out in the passenger side, and screamed loudly at the sight of glass and her husband's blood.

Gavin pointed at her from his position. “You shut the fuck up!” he hissed.

When she realized what had happened, the polished woman started crying insanely and started to blubber. “He killed my baby! He killed my little girl! He KILLED HER! That BASTARD.” She broke down into hysterics, pulling at her hair and wiping at her face.

“Save it for the interrogation.” Gavin growled in annoyance, turning Mr. Brooks over and handcuffing him. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Connor walking towards the smoking car. The tall android opened the car door politely for Mrs. Brooks and asked her to step out with her hands above her head. She was still sobbing when Connor handcuffed her. 

  
“Let's get these sick fucks back to the precinct.” Gavin hauled Mr. Brooks up, the man flopping around like a vegetable because he was out cold. Gavin didn’t give a fuck and dragged his ass down the street towards his car. Connor started walking Mrs. Brooks, much more gently, towards Gavin’s dodge charger. The sobbing woman wailed all the way there. When they got to the car Gavin opened the back left door and shoved Mr. Brooks in face first. Connor disapproved of it, but said nothing. He was still in shock over the fact he almost got hit by a car and more so that Gavin had saved him.

The android looked up and watched from over the car as Gavin hissed something vicious at Neil Brooks. He wondered why Gavin even bothered saving him. The detective hated him and if he had died by the car, it would have been case related and he would have been completely free of him, with no repercussions. He had thought Gavin wanted him dead.  _ He had thought... _

__

Gavin finished shoving Mr. brooks inside the car, not bothering to buckle his seat belt. He looked up, only to see Connor fucking staring him down. What the fuck? Oh fucking hell, what did he do to get a look like  _ that _ on the android’s face? Connor didn’t even try to hide his staring, still looking directly at Gavin, who looked away quickly and shuddered. The shorter man slammed the back door shut, and walked to the driver side door. He opened it and slid into the seat.

__

Gavin relaxed for a moment, before he brought his hurt foot up and tugged his shoe off, sighing in slight relief as the throbbing finally stopped. He didn’t even notice Connor joining him in the car.

__

“Thank you.” Connor said softly as he watched Gavin, still reeling. 

__

Gavin looked at him, feeling all sorts of uncomfortable. He sat his shoe down next to him on the seat and shut his car door. “What?” He asked after a moment, perplexed. What the hell was going on with the RK800? 

__

Gavin shook his head slightly and started the car. He just so happened to look in the rear view mirror, only to see the whole neighborhood outside, looking at the wreck and pointing at them. He looked over his shoulder at the crowd, and talked over whatever Connor had been starting to say. 

__

“Oh, goddammit. Call this shit in, someone needs to move that car out of the street.” Gavin should have figured they’d hear all those gunshots. Maybe Connor was right, they should have called in for back up.

__

Connor froze for a second. He looked like he wanted to say something, but decided not to at the annoyed look Gavin shot him. “I’ll call it in detective.”

__

“Great.” Gavin said a little sarcastically. He couldn't wait to go back to the station and question the brooks. They would not get away with murder, he’d make sure of it. Gavin glared at Mr. Brooks in the rear-view mirror as he started the long drive back to the station. 

__

 

__

He was completely unaware of the thoughts racing through Connor’s mind. 

__

 

__

When they arrived at the station, Gavin slipped his shoe onto his foot like earlier, finding that it didn't hurt as badly as it did when he had it completely on his foot. God, he really needed to take his sock off and check that shit, because he could be wrong, but it felt like something was bleeding down there, and it has been for a while. Speaking of wounds, Gavin tried not to be weirded out as the gash on Connor’s cheek slowly healed itself. Over the course of the drive it had completely disappeared, leaving blue blood on Connor’s cheek, which looked ridiculous without any indication of a wound. 

__

Gavin sighed as they got out of the car, once again feeling a little inferior to the android. Like really, an android cop that could heal his wounds without even trying, yet here he was, getting fucked over by a crushed, stubbed-toed, swollen foot. How could the DPD not want to replace him with a android? He decided to suck it up and to quit being such a fucking pussy about his foot. It wasn’t even that bad. Gavin put more pressure on his foot, just to prove a point. Who it proved a point to, he didn’t care. He pushed through the pain and pretended valiantly that he had always naturally walked with a waddle. See? The DPD couldn’t replace a badass like him. He laughed in the face of foot injuries.

__

He grimaced slightly before he opened the back door of his car. Each detective would be escorting one suspect, and Gavin was not going to let Connor be the one to take Mr. brooks. He still had a lot of anger he wanted to take out on the man. He wanted to fucking teach him that Gavin fucking Reed was not a fool to be tricked and that the ‘grieving’ shit he pulled that morning would not go unpunished, the sick freak.

__

Mr. Brooks had woken up halfway back to the station and Gavin took pleasure in seeing him flinch away when he went to grab him out of the back of the car.

__

Good. Hopefully the asshole is scared of him. He dragged Mr. brooks out of the car, and started roughly walking him around to where Connor was standing on the sidewalk, with Mrs Brooks, waiting on him. Gavin shoved Mr. Brooks forward and the man stumbled up onto the sidewalk, next to Connor, who was about a foot and a half taller than him. The man looked up and noticed the LED on Connor’s temple for the first time.

__

“You’re an Android!” He yelled and gave Connor a disgusted look, the dried blood cracking on his face as he sneered. “Keep away from me you metal fucker!”

__

Connor opened his mouth to respond, but Gavin beat him to it. “YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP! He may be an android, BUT HE IS AN OFFICER OF THE FUCKING LAW.” Gavin grabbed him by his shirt collar and dragged him off the curb away from Connor, letting him fall on his ass. “You show him some respect you sick fuck, I won't hesitate to beat your face in if you disrespect him or me again.” He didn't care who was who, if a criminal insulted a police officer, he took that as a personal slight against all cops, even Connor.

__

The enraged detective wrenched Mr. Brooks off the ground and stepped up onto the sidewalk. He dragged the man all the way to the precinct doors, not waiting on Connor to keep up. When he entered the building all the cops there turned to look at him, not surprised to see Gavin dragging a man covered in blood towards the main terminal. Connor followed after him, guiding his suspect to the main terminal as well.

__

They booked the Brooks and then had them taken to a holding cell. After that they went to process the paperwork in order to question them. Gavin sighed, impatient as he did the process a second time that day. He was waiting in a chair across from Connor when Hank made an appearance.

__

“Hey Connor!” Hank said, crossing his arms over his chest as he walked towards Connor. 

__

Connor stood up and smiled. “Lieutenant!” He greeted happily. 

__

“I heard you made an arrest. Solved the case, then?” Hank smiled at him, raising an eyebrow. Connor was glad he excused himself to go clean up his blood in the bathroom, or else Hank would be in a vastly different mood.

__

“Almost.” Connor answered, throwing a look at Gavin when he stayed silent and didn’t try to antagonize Hank. The volatile detective was occupied with his phone and he didn't even acknowledge Hank.

__

Hank shoved him slightly in good nature, his smile fond. “I’m surprised you wrapped it up so quickly, kid.”

__

“Me too. I think it's just the fact that we’re good at our jobs and they make terrible criminals.” Connor said jokingly, watching Gavin in his peripheral vision.

__

“Hpmh. One day with Reed and you start getting arrogant.” Hank looked at Gavin, the expression on his face getting mean as he scowled down at the sitting detective. Connor held in a internal sigh, trying not to get frustrated. He needed to put a stop to their antagonistic relationship somehow. Reed either chose to ignore Hank or didn’t find his comment offensive enough to give a damn. He didn't even look up from his phone at Hank. 

__

Connor would have said something, but an Officer came to inform them that the Brooks were ready to be questioned. Mr. Brooks was moved into interrogation room one, while Mrs. Brooks was in room two. Gavin grinned meanly and got up, ready to get the show on the road. He turned to Connor, nodding his head towards the door in a signal to end the convo with Hank.

__

“I’m sorry Hank, It looks like I’m up.” Connor said to his father, smiling sheepishly at the thought of abruptly leaving him again. He hated being any kind of rude towards Hank, the only exception being sassing him.

__

Hank smiled, easing his apprehension, and patted him on the shoulder. “Good luck, kid.”

__

“Thanks Hank.” He grinned at the elder detective before following after Gavin.

__

 

__

Gavin walked ahead of Connor, only stopping his determined (aggressive) limping once he reached the door. Connor quirked an eyebrow as he watched Gavin from the side, the human was making a weird expression. “Detective? Do you want to lead this interrogation or should I?” He asked quietly. 

__

Gavin turned to face him, a frown on his face. “Yeah I’ll lead, Plastic.” He gestured to the scanner. “Get the door, would ya?” Connor nodded and his LED blinked yellow once, the door opening automatically. 

__

“After you, Detective Reed.” the android held out an arm as a ‘go ahead’ and Gavin happily stormed into the room. 

__

Once inside, he immediately fixated on Neil, who was sitting at a chair, Cuffed to the table. Gavin narrowed his eyes threateningly and stalked forward, yanking the metal chair out from under the table loudly, causing Neil to jump. Gavin’s face twisted spitefully in response and he reached for the folder left on the table by the officer who moved Mr. Brooks into the small room. 

__

Connor sat down next to him as Gavin flipped the folder open, neither of them looking away from the suspect once. Neil squirmed in his seat, trapped under Gavin’s steely grey eyes, feeling like he could spontaneously combust from the Detective’s glare alone. He glanced at the android, finding it’s blank stare even more imposing. 

__

Several moments of silence went by, in which the two cops unnervingly stared him down. 

__

 

__

“Your wife told us everything Neil.” Gavin started, his mean voice a stark contrast to the silence. “Yeah. We made a deal with her. She told us everything, so now she gets to go free for giving you up and you’re going to spend the rest of your life in prison for what you did.” He lied, still staring Mr. Brooks down. 

__

Neil looked wide-eyed at him, turning pale. “You’re lying! Lisa would never-” he swallowed nervously. “I didn’t do anything! I want to talk to my lawyer.”

__

“Oh yeah? Why don’t you tell us where you hid the golf club you used to beat Irene to death?” Gavin said, ignoring his demand for a lawyer.

__

 

__

Neil froze. How did he know it was a golf club. He has no proof. No one could no about that, unless Lisa…

__

The cop had to be bluffing. He...had to be. Neil started to sweat as the intimidating officer showed no signs of lying. Neil's stomach dropped when he realized there was no way he could be so specific if he was bluffing. “I’m not saying a word to you until I speak to my lawyer.”

__

Gavin scoffed. “Right, a lawyer. Kind of like what Irene was going to be before you killed her. You remember Irene, right? She was your daughter? Yeah, Lisa told us you had pushed her into law school, that she had never wanted to go. She wanted to be a writer instead, right? I wonder, did you threaten to kill her then, too, if she didn’t go to DLU?”

__

Neil shot up, only to be yanked down painfully by his handcuffs. “I LOVED MY DAUGHTER!”

__

Gavin glared at him. “Oh? And is that why you bludgeoned her to death with the golf club? Is that why you came back a DAY EARLY to carry out this clearly planned murder? Huh? It sure as hell looks like you planned it.” Gavin’s face became deathly serious and he slapped the flight upgrade paper on the table in front of Mr. Brooks causing the man to jump back in his seat fearfully. “You knew we would most likely look over this huh? You wanted us to think you had a solid alibi, that’s something that had to be planned in advance. You wanted to murder your own daughter. You sick fucker.”

__

“NO!” Neil screamed. He started crying. “No, I never wanted to hurt her!”

__

“She was hit in the head four times. That’s hardly a accident.” Connor said. 

__

“She-! She wouldn’t listen to me.” Neil became hysterical. “SHE WOULDN’T LISTEN TO ME!”

__

“She was a kid! Only 23! She had a bright future, she was well liked, she was in love, but I guess screw all that, she deserved it, all because she wouldn’t listen to you.” Gavin snarled at him mockingly.

__

Neil became enraged. “SHE WAS GOING TO PROPOSE TO THAT THING. SHE WAS GOING TO PICK A MACHINE OVER HER OWN GODDAMN FAMILY!” 

__

Gavin tried to hide his surprise at the new information.

__

“I found it! I found that fucking engagement ring! That disgusting android! The MAID! She told us that morning that she had been sleeping with that slimy bitch for half a year. She only told me because I confronted her about that fucking ring!”

__

Connor’s LED went yellow. He glanced at Gavin, but the human was focused on Mr. Brooks. “And she deserved to die because she was in love? You really are a sick joke.” Gavin said evenly, no surprise in his voice.

__

“Lisa had went into Irene’s room to grab an extra suitcase.” Neil spat. “The one from the top of her closet. She had hidden the fucking ring in it. We caught a flight home as soon as we found it.”

__

“The Human supremacist convention. You racist fuck. It that why you killed your daughter? Because Emily is an android?” Gavin said cruelly.

__

Neil banged his hands on the table. “SHUT THE HELL UP. Your kind is disgusting.” He said at Connor. 

__

Connor glared at him for the first time, unfolding his hands. “The only thing that’s disgusting in this room right now is you.” Neil snapped his jaw shut and Gavin smirked at him. 

__

“So you flew home, confronted her about the ring and found out she was dating an android. You must have been pretty angry.”

__

“IT WOULD’VE RUINED MY REPUTATION. That stupid little bitch. I own my own company. My father’s name is revered around the world. She would have ruined us.”

__

“So you killed her.”

__

Neil started crying again. He covered his eyes with his hands and rocked back and forth in his chair. “Oh GOD! No. No. I-...No. she wouldn’t listen to me! She just walked away like it was nothing. Started putting on her fucking makeup talking about going to see that fucking android...I just…I only saw red. I was so…. So mad at her.”

__

Gavin leaned forward, intimidating in his demeanor. “So you grabbed the golf club, you fucking piece of human waste, and killed your daughter.”

__

Neil looked up, dragging his hands down his slightly wrinkled face, his salt and pepper hair hung down over his eyes, having been pulled out of it’s gelled style. The man’s bloodshot brown eyes held a craziness in them that Gavin sneered at. “No! NO….I- ...Lisa was upstairs trying to reason with her. I just...and then she said she wanted to drop out of law school I… I just...grabbed my wedge outta the bag and…god. I didn’t! I LOVE MY DAUGHTER!”

__

“Where did you hide the golf club Neil?” Gavin asked, calm and emotionless.

__

“No. I didn’t...I-I don’t… oh god Irene. There was so much blood…”

__

“The Golf Club, where is it?” Connor asked the question again. 

__

The android was inhumanly still and Neil broke under its gaze. “We...we left… and I...Lisa tried to go to the police so I...I threatened her so she wouldn’t go to the police and...We took the golf clubs to the bridge and threw them over.”

__

Gavin shared a look with Connor. They pretty much had all they needed to convict him of Irene’s murder, but the interrogation wasn’t quiet over yet. “And Homer Griffin? What did you fucking do to him? The cop that was staying with you, asshole.” Gavin questioned, his temper sparking once again.

__

Neil sunk over as he cried, ending up resting his head on the table. Gavin barely resisted kicking him. When he asked about Griffin, Neil scoffed lightly. “...We dumped him in a gutter somewhere when Lisa and I went to a guy I know to buy fake IDs. My firm defended him in a fraud and embezzlement case and won, he told me if I ever needed anything to just ask. He hooked us up, but we had to go to Lane’s house to wait it out. We wanted the IDs before we payed him, just in case the police were watching our bank accounts- That way we could have had new Identification and be gone before you people could even track the transaction. We were going to take all our money and fly to Hong Kong." 

Gavin frowned at him. Connor made a mental note to find out more about the Fake ID guy.

"I asked where Homer Griffin was. Tell me." Gavin raised his voice slightly this time, leaning forward against the table in a way that had Connor alert.

Neil seemed to ignore him, muttering under his breath and sighing into the table. "I should have known better…”

__

Out of pure resentment, Gavin kicked Neil as hard as he could in the leg with his uninjured foot. Neil screeched and hopped up, and Gavin dashed forward to grab him by the shirt collar again. Connor stood up, ready to intervene. “I’ve HAD ENOUGH OF YOU. Fucking tell me where Homer Griffin is exactly, our I will beat your ass into nothing. I don't care what happens to you, there’s a special place in hell for what you did. I do however care about Officer Griffin, SO FUCKING TALK.”

__

“It was behind the Holiday Inn, I swear!” Neil said, shaking at Gavin’s ferocity. “Next to a dumpster!”

__

Gavin threw him back down into his chair harshly. He had all he needed from this sadistic boil of a human.

__

“Enjoy prison.” Gavin said as he turned and stalked towards the door. “You deserve to fucking rot.” 

__

Neil whimpered. “I don’t deserve it, I don't belong in prison, I have the company and- that fucking android made me do it, it's all the android’s fault-” Connor Ignored Neil as he followed Gavin out of the room, the door sliding shut with a final hiss.

__

Connor had never seen Gavin interrogate anyone before, he was… impressed. And as someone built specifically for negotiation and interrogations, that was saying a lot. The detective’s tactic was good, and he knew how to intimidate someone like it was his first language. No wonder all those stories about him making people cry were going around.

__

 

__

Out in the Hallway, Captain Fowler was standing there with Detective Mullins, the leader of the narcotics team, talking avidly. He stopped when he saw Reed and Connor approach and directly addressed them. “I’ve sent a search and rescue team out to find Griffin. Hank and Chris are leading it. I want the two of you to go question Brooks’ wife right now and see if her story matches up. However, with the confession on his part, the case is pretty much over.” He said as he started walking down the hall. Gavin, Connor, and Mullins followed him like ducklings as he spoke. “Mullins, I want you to go talk to San-Venganza, We believe his real name is Ronnie Carnali, someone who is connected to several ongoing investigations involving the drug cartel. He may be involved with your case against Henry Mathis.” 

__

The police Captain stopped his march by interrogation room two and turned to face all three of them, his face a picture of authority. “I expect your reports on my desk in the morning… that means your's too Gavin... try not to use the term ‘thundercunt’ in this one, Reed.”

__

“That was one time!” Gavin proclaimed when all three of them looked at him with various expressions, Fowler’s being unimpressed. “... Fine. I won't use the word thundercunt in my report, no matter how much I want to.”

__

“Glad to hear it. Dismissed.” He said to them and then proceeded to slink off into the great beyond. Fucking Creepy. 

__

They watched their captain go, Mullins smiling at Connor once he was out of sight. “Good luck in there, Connor. I’m going to go question Johnny now, I guess.” 

__

The android smiled at him in return and high fived the slightly shorter man when he held his hand out. “Good luck to you too, Mullins.” 

__

“Gracias mi amigo, te veré pronto.” He sent Connor a wink and walked away, the android waving goodbye like a fucking dork. Mullins flipped Gavin off as he walked passed him.

__

“Fucking jerk!”

__

“Eres un idiota corto y enojado!”

__

“Get your french speaking ass the fuck outta here!”

__

Connor frowned. “Detective he’s speaking Spanish.”

__

“Shh, I know. I just hate that guy.” Gavin replied as Mullins walked out of earshot. “I don’t speak Spanish.”

__

“He called you a short angry idiot.” Connor could barely contain the mirth in his voice.

__

“Pfft, asshole. I’m not short.” He scowled. “Whatever.” Gavin shrugged it off and nodded towards the door. “Are you ready to question Mrs. Brooks? Hopefully she’s not as headache inducing as Mr. brooks was.”

__

Connor nodded and scanned into the room, walking in first as Gavin followed him. 

__

 

__

Mrs. Brooks was sitting at the table, ringing her hands together anxiously. Her makeup was smeared everywhere and her hair was sticking up in some places. Connor sat down across from her and Gavin could already tell this interrogation was going to go much differently. The android didn’t even get to say anything as the woman immediately started crying. 

__

“He did it. That son of a bitch killed my daughter.”

__

“Mrs. brooks, why don't you start from the beginning?” Connor asked and she stared at him.

__

“Don’t even try to act sympathetic with me, you machine. You don’t understand. MY daughter. My own flesh and blood… she was my baby. You know nothing about that. You can pretend all you want to, but I know what you are.” 

__

What the fuck? Gavin seemed more surprised than Connor about the woman’s insults. Fucking whoa lady. 

__

The android showed no signs of offense and just let her talk. “I raised that girl into a wonderful young woman. She was so smart, so beautiful. And then she had to go and fool herself into loving that android. HOW could she possibly love one of you? How could-” Lisa sniffled and wiped a tear away. “She could have had anyone she wanted. Why the android…”

__

“Tell us what happened this morning, when you got back?” Connor asked when she fell into a silence.

__

Lisa looked down at her hands. “I found it. The wedding ring. We didn’t know what to think, but… on the band it had a engravement that said, 'Emily, we were written in the stars. My life, my love, my friend.' Neil was so...angry.” 

__

“Then he got a flight upgrade.” Gavin said from his position by the door.

__

“Yeah… I tried talking him down but… when we arrived home it was 5 am. Irene was still in bed when Neil and I got inside. She… she didn’t have any reaction at all when we asked about it, like she didn’t really care we found out. She just said ‘I love her’ like that was all that mattered. Neil went off on her, yelling about the family honor and her responsibility to uphold it… Irene just...snapped after that. She wanted to quit law school, she didn’t want her father’s firm or his name…”

__

Gavin listened, relating to it so hard that he felt so bad for Irene. That trapped feeling she must have dealt with all the time… poor girl. Connor also looked like he was contemplating it. Gavin wondered how this all looked from the android’s point a view.

__

“It all happened so fast, I tried to stop him but he hit me on the head and I blacked out.” Lisa slightly tilted her head to the side, her dyed blonde bangs falling out of the way to reveal a nasty bruise. Connor scanned what he could see of the blackish bruise, just to make sure she didn’t sustain it in the car accident. The wound was almost 12 hours old and inflicted by a blunt force object, such as a golf club. 

Lisa flipped her hair back into place, looking uneasy as she thought of the last thing she remembered before blacking out; Neil's raging red face. Irene's scream of 'Mom!'-

“I...oh God.” she started crying again, this time pretty hard. “...I woke up and blood was _everywhere_. Neil killed her-...he killed our baby!”

__

“I know it’s hard to talk about, please take your time Mrs. Brooks.” Connor told her, patiently.

__

“No. NO! I want that man punished. I want him _hurt_. I want him hurt until he feels as bad as I do. Irene wasn’t supposed to go first, I was always prepared to go first. That monster took away my child.” She started digging her fingernails into her hand. 

__

“Mrs. Brooks-”

__

“No, LISTEN to me. He killed her, then he reset the alarm system and made it seem like we were never there. He threatened to kill me when I tried to escape and when I tried to call the police.”

__

Lisa trembled, but a determination lit up her eyes as she thought about Irene. Her husband would pay for this with his life. She would make sure his life was dragged out in prison and that he would be forced to spend the rest of days thinking about what he had done. “He burned his bloody clothes in the fire pit out in our backyard. You can find traces of them there android.” she said to Connor. “Then we got rid of the golf clubs I bought him for Christmas one year. Dumped them over the bridge.”

__

“And then?” Connor asked, LED yellow.

__

“He wanted to frame Emily for the murder, so we went back to the house around the time she usually comes in for work. She was drenched in Irene’s blood already and androids usually don’t win against humans so...He called the police and they didn’t think twice about arresting her.” Lisa looked up at them from her hands, her eyes hollow. “I want him dead for what he did to our daughter.” 

__

 

__

She would drag him down to hell herself if she had to. 

__

 

__

After the interrogation was over, things started to wind down a little bit.

__

Since Lisa’s story matched up with her husband’s, she would not have any charges pressed against her, seeing as she was threatened to stay with Neil and took no part in the murder. They would make her take a polygraph just to be sure, but with Neil’s confession, it wasn’t really necessary. Homer Griffin was found by the team Fowler had sent out, alive thankfully. He was tied up with a bloody wound on his head from where Neil had attacked him, but luckily he got away with just a nasty concussion and burnt red skin from being under the sun all day long. The doctors were sure he’d be fine with a weeks rest.

__

Though they caught their murderer, Connor still felt as though the case was incomplete. He knew exactly why and he wasn’t looking forward to dealing with it.

__

He had to talk to Emily. He promised the other android he would, even though he had a gut feeling telling him not to. She just lost everything, and Connor couldn’t help but want to give her the one thing she asked of him. So, despite knowing it was a bad idea, he called Emily and told her to meet him at the station. 

__

 

__

The EM400 arrived precisely 34 minutes later and Connor showed her to his desk, wheeling Gavin’s unused chair around so she could sit down with him. The human detective was taking care of Mrs. brooks, leaving Connor to log all their evidence. Connor was sure Gavin wouldn’t mind that much if he took a small time-out to speak with Emily.

__

“Emily, you asked me to tell you who the killer was when we found them.” Connor spoke getting straight to the point while making direct eye contact with the smaller android.

__

“Yes... Connor did you catch them? Is that why I’m here?” she asked, closing her eyes in preparation.

__

“It is. Emily… this will be difficult for you to hear…”

__

Emily shook her head. “Just tell me. Please.”

__

Connor took a deep breath, wishing he was anywhere else. “It was Mr. Brooks. Irene’s father.” He said slowly, watching her LED turn an alarming bright red.

__

“Her-” Emily covered her mouth in horror. “Her…”

__

“I’m sorry Emily.” Connor said, reaching for her.

__

Emily stood up abruptly, her chair falling back. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly and several system warnings popped up on her mainframe. She ignored them. “The thought that must have ran through her head! The feeling of absolute betrayal! I hate humans Connor! _I hate them!”_

__

Connor’s eyes widened and he grabbed her hand. “Emily that’s not true-”

__

“Yes it is! They’re EVIL.” She jerked back and Connor stood up as well.

__

“Not all of them! Irene, she wasn’t evil!” He said, trying to calm her down.

__

“Yes she was. How else can you explain it? To make someone fall in love with you so completely and just LEAVE. She left me. Just like that, she’s gone Connor. She can’t be repaired. She can't be rebooted. SHE’S GONE. It wasn't supposed to happen this way. She wasn’t supposed to go. I don't understand why. I don’t know what to do. She was my life Connor. She was all I had. Now what do I have to live for?” Emily was crying so hard her body was shaking. Her LED was a deep blood red and her stress level was well past the danger zone. Connor reached for her a second time, out of pure alarm. Emily collapsed into him and he wrapped his arms around her, trying to remember what Hank did to comfort him.

__

“Emily?” a new voice said and Connor looked up to see Mrs. Brooks standing next to Gavin. Emily froze in his arms.

__

“I had no idea…” Lisa spoke softly, trailing off. She had never seen a android get so emotional. She...thought they were just machines, delusional machines that believed themselves to be something they weren't. How could something made of plastic ever be alive the way they were? feel the things they felt? However... she had heard Emily's speech, spoken to another android no less- and the pain was real...it had to be. The android was _crying_ , for her daughter of all things. Something 'just a machine' could never do. Shouldn't be able to do. And yet...Emily...she clearly wasn't just a machine anymore. She was ...Lisa wasn't sure what she was, but she was sure of one thing; Emily had loved her daughter. How else would one explain the utter grief she just witnessed?

__

It was horrifically ironic that she spent so much of her time hating androids, when the person she loved the most had given her heart to one.

__

Her daughter died in vain because of her hate and now Lisa could never go back- never see her daughter again. Her bright, selfless, loving daughter. How did Irene turn out so caring when Lisa had been so closed minded? Her daughter had accepted everyone, no matter what their form and ...maybe....she should too. If she couldn’t change for herself, she would change for Irene, no matter how difficult it would prove to be. She owed her angel that much.

__

And It would start here, with the android her daughter had loved.

__

Lisa stepped forward and touched Emily on the shoulder, surprising both Connor and Gavin. Emily flinched and slowly turned around in Connor’s arms to look at her, LED blinking from blood red to bright red.

__

Lisa stared into her anguished eyes for a moment, before she reached into her back jean pocket and pulled out the engagement ring Irene had bought for her. With a crumbling expression, She reached for Emily’s hand and put it on her palm, closing her shaking fist around it.

__

“Irene had bought it for you. She was going to ask you to marry her.” Lisa spoke softly, her eyes brimming with tears. She had thought she wouldn't ever be able to cry again with the amount she had been doing today, but just the thought of Irene proved her wrong. 

__

Emily’s mouth fell open and she opened up her palm to look at the glistening ring. Her entire body froze as she looked down on the ring with a mixture of surprise and pain. “I…” Her voice died in her throat as she read the inscription on the band.

__

“She really loved you Emily.” Lisa said, thinking about her daughter. Emily’s eyes snapped up to look at her, tears running down her face freely. Lisa smiled at her weakly, not blaming her for being shocked at the admission. It would take a lot to convince her she wanted to change, but Lisa hoped she would be able to. 

__

“I know we’ve had our differences in the past and I haven’t always been fair to you.” She grabbed the ring out of Emily’s limp hand and slipped it onto her finger. It was a perfect fit. She looked up and caught the heartbreak flashing across the android's face. “But Irene loved you, and that means I will too, Emily. There’s nothing for me here anymore either. I’m going back to Paris to live with my mother.” She took a deep breath, holding onto Emily’s hand. “Come with me?” The words felt thick coming out of her throat, but she could not feel any resentment for Emily if she tried. She really didn't have anymore here- no family and a bunch of fake friends. The world here would move on as if Irene had not existed and she could not live like that. Emily was the only one who would ever understand and Lisa...she needed her just as much as she needed Lisa. She closed her eyes briefly, already hearing what Neil would have said about that statement. She pushed it away, feeling sick. Emily's hand still shook in hers and she opened her eyes back up to look at the last piece of Irene she had left. 

__

“Mrs. Brooks I…” Emily stuttered, looking at the ring on her finger. It felt like her heart kept shattering over and over and she couldn't stop it. 

Irene had wanted to marry her? The thought of the life they would have had together broke her in a new way and she couldn't think, couldn't move. She needed out- she needed to stop feeling. If only she had never become deviant, if only- 

Emily squeezed her eyes shut and focused on Connor's arms, on Lisa's hand, on the cool metal of her ring, and the nervous shuffling of Detective Reed. She let the noise of all the other cops bustling around the station ground her and she felt weightless as she pushed away her consuming grief. Would it always be like this without Irene? Empty? She had nothing else, no one else and the hollowness in her chest grew at the thought of being all alone for the rest of her life. 

“I don’t-…” She looked Lisa in the eyes after a moment. “I have no one else. Irene was all I had… I...” 

The thought of leaving this place and having someone there who had loved Irene too eased her pain just a fraction. It might prove to be a wrong choice, but she had already signed her fate away the day she fell for Irene. It could not get worse for her. And maybe Lisa felt that way too. Maybe Lisa could change. 

"I'll go with you." 

Lisa could only give her a sad smile, but it was enough to ease Emily's self doubt. 

__

 

__

After Lisa and Emily left, Connor and Gavin had to do a mountain of paperwork on the case, as well as the paperwork for the arrests they made. They also had to call Carl Manfred and see if he wanted to press charges against Elise baker. Other than that, the day was pretty much over. Thank fuck. It had been a long disastrous day for Gavin, that was for fucking sure. And Uncomfortable. Good god. 

__

The detective glanced at Connor sneakily over his computer, looking at the android as he typed out his report.

__

Day one of being Connor’s partner was not going like he thought it would. He was so confused by the android at the moment. He kept thinking Connor would get him alone and finish what they started in the evidence room, but he never did, despite having many opportunities. In fact, Connor didn't seem angry at him at all. All day his interactions with Gavin had been nothing if not...polite. Forcefully polite sometimes, but there was no malice in the android's voice or eyes when he spoke to Gavin or looked at him.

__

And he hadn’t brought it up. He hadn’t even hinted at it, like it never happened in the first place. Like Gavin didn't try to kill him. Gavin’s stomach twisted at the memory of trying to kill the android, who was apparently alive despite his misconception, and yeah he was feeling awkwardly guilty that he assaulted something with a soul. He cringed.

__

And today, Connor saved him from that dog. Surely he wouldn’t have bothered if he wanted Gavin dead? And why would Connor ask him to join them for lunch. Maybe Connor was playing him, luring him into a false sense of security and then BAM! Gavin would be dead before he knew what hit him. Maybe Connor was fooling him.

__

But what if he wasn't…? What if the android wasn’t out to get him like he thought he was.

__

 

__

“Can I help you with something Detective Reed?” Connor asked, and Gavin realized they were staring at each other over the computer screens. Gavin ducked his head down, disappearing out of Connor’s view. He felt his heart start to pound in his chest, unclear as to why. The android wasn’t close to him, and he didn’t have Gavin trapped anywhere and he wasn’t talking about pencils. What the fuck. Why was he so nervous. 

__

“No.”

__

“Alright.” Connor said, trying not to be amused at Gavin's expense.

__

__

“REED, CONNOR, MY OFFICE.” Fowler’s voice boomed out of no where and it caused Gavin to startle, stapling his papers together crookedly. 

__

“GOD DAMMIT. YOU KNOW YOU HAVE A FUCKING PHONE CAPTAIN FOWLER. FUCKING USE IT.”

__

“ZIP IT REED. IN HERE, NOW.” Fowler said, not bothering to care as he walked back into his office.

__

Gavin scowled at him and then at his crookedly stapled papers. “You know what, I’m not fixing them. I’ll turn them in the way they are and he’ll have to fucking deal with that.” Gavin grumbled to himself. His phone started to ring and he answered it, still glaring at the papers. “Hello?”

__

“GET IN MY OFFICE REED.” Fowler’s voice shouted in his ear, loud enough to sound like he was in the room with them, talking at a normal volume.

__

Gavin slammed the phone back down and got up, angry at his loss of hearing. Connor was waiting for him by the door, having got up the moment the captain called for them, that overachiever. 

__

He held the door open for Gavin when the detective arrived at the door. Gavin sent Connor his most sarcastic smile as he walked into the office. Fowler was sitting at his desk, reading through a file as if Gavin had come in completely unannounced instead of being asked to (yelled at). The stubborn detective rolled his eyes and plopped down loudly in his usual seat. Connor joined him and they both stared at Fowler as he ignored them by reading his file.

__

“F-”

__

“Silence Reed.” He said, flipping the file closed. “I called you two in here for a reason.”

__

“Care to fucking share that reason?” Gavin asked, feeling extra salty.

__

“I will, you just shut the fuck up and listen for once Reed.” Fowler sent him an authoritative look.

__

“Fine.”

__

“Good. I am pleased with how your case went today. No one was hurt, you caught the perpetrator in one day, and no one filed a complaint...yet…” He glanced at Gavin. “However, I've noticed that the two of you are still having these issues you have yet to resolve. Tomorrow, I want the two of you to stick together all day. That means you take lunch together. Connor I don’t want you going off with Hank again. You two need to resolve your differences, before I decide to extend these two weeks.”

__

“But-”

__

“Can’t I-”

__

“Silence!” Fowler snapped at the two of them, cutting off their complaints. “The point of this whole thing is to get you out of your comfort zones and see if you can be apart of this team. Which brings me to my next point, Gavin, keep in mind that I expect you to not only work well with Connor, but also with everyone else. I've gotten a couple of complaints today about your attitude problem. Respect in the work place is important, and so is being courteous. Watch Connor and learn from him." Fowler leaned back in his seat. "I also want the two of you to work on your communication skills as well. Gavin you need to do this especially, and Connor- Hank is the only person you really talk to, despite your pleasant interactions with everyone else. Work on expanding that. Team mates need to know each other good enough to work well with each other." 

__

Gavin stared at him, slightly open-mouthed, and Connor looked like he wanted to say something. Fowler ignored them and continued. "You can start working on this tomorrow. In fact, use your lunch break, hell use the whole day. I want to see improvement in your team building skills. By the end of this, you should know how to work well with someone, even if you don't like them. That's part of being a team. This is work, not high school, act like it.” He finished.

__

Connor finally spoke up, voice still polite even if slightly distressed. “Captain Fowler, sir, tomorrow is Wednesday. I was going to use my 30 minute lunch break to go to a Jericho meeting-”

__

“That sounds a lot like it’s not my problem, Connor. Now shoo.” Captain Fowler said, already reading the file again. He started making a shooing motion with his right hand when Gavin and Connor continued to stare at him in disbelief.

__

Silently the two got up and left.

__

On the way out Gavin flipped the cup full of paperclips on the corner of Fowler's desk upside down, without Fowler noticing. Next time he reaches for a paperclip, he’ll find the cup upside down, and then when he goes to pick the cup up, they’ll fall out all over the place. Five points for Slytherin. Gavin smirked as he slammed the office door shut. 

__

 

__

At their desks, Connor logged off of his computer, finished with the days work. It was almost 7:55 pm and Day shift was about to leave. Connor was kind of, dare he say it, sulky. 

__

He really wanted to go to the Jericho meeting tomorrow. He lucked out by the fact it had been scheduled to correspond with his lunch break and he had been hyping himself up about it for a week and a half. He wanted to see his friends.

__

Maybe… maybe if he asked Gavin about it? Maybe they could work something out. Gavin wasn’t a bad person. He actually saved Connor’s life today. Sure they were a little (a lot) awkward with each other, but him and Hank had been awkward for a while as well. Who knows what the future will bring. Connor hoped they could be friends at some point. Gavin was starting to grow on him, despite the way they started out. He just wished he knew why Gavin hated him so he could fix it, and maybe move past it. 

__

“Connor!” Hank called from somewhere behind him. He spun around in his chair, his mood almost immediately improving. 

__

He stood up and walked forward to greet Hank. “Hello, Lieutenant.”

__

“You look just like I feel kid. I’m ready to head home and kick my feet up, Just you, me, and Sumo.” Hank wrapped an arm around his shoulder, and Connor felt all the stress from the day leave his body. He had so much to tell Hank, he couldn’t wait to call it a day and just go home. 

__

Gavin was at his desk, still typing away on his computer as everyone started to leave. The human detective often stayed past everyone else for some unexplained reason, and Connor felt kind of bad that he was about to leave with Hank, while Gavin would stay and finish up all the loose ends Connor hadn’t gotten to.

__

“Let’s go Connor, we can pop some popcorn, put on one of those bad movies you like, and make fun of Sumo when he starts barking at the TV.” Hank put on his coat and smiled, raising an eyebrow at him and gesturing towards the main door where people were already clocking out.

__

“Ok Hank, just give me one moment? I’ll meet you by the door.” Connor said stepping back towards his desk.

__

"Oh, come on Connor! You don’t have to say goodnight to that asshole, let’s just go.” Hank gestured towards the door.

__

“Just a moment Hank, I promise.” He said, soft brown eyes wide, and Hank melted a little, despite wanting to tell him no.

__

“Fine, but don’t say I didn’t warn you when that snake bites you for it.” Hank shook his head and started walking away, throwing glances back at Connor. “I’ll wait for you by the clock out machines.”

__

“Thank you Hank.” Connor smiled as he watched him go, only turning back towards his desk once the elder man was out of earshot. He walked towards Gavin, hesitating for just a moment when he saw how concentrated the detective was on his work. Connor decided it was now or never though. 

__

“Gavin.” He said the detective’s first name and watched as the human immediately got tense. The shorter man looked up from his computer, a sort of weariness on his face Connor’s seen many times that day. That was a bad sign already, so Connor decided to keep it short and sweet for both their benefits. “I know this wasn’t a choice either one of us wanted, and I know we have a history between us that most people would never move beyond, but I believe we can work past all that. I don’t expect us to get along perfectly well, but that’s ok. Most partnerships require work, ours will just need more attention than others. I… I hope we’ll be able to past Fowler’s test together, and I will try to do everything in my power to make that happen.” Connor was rambling. He couldn’t stop it either. Gavin was just staring up at him with wide grey eyes and it was making him...nervous. “It was interesting working with you today and I will be glad to do so again tomorrow.” He said abruptly, trying to wrap it up. Short and sweet. Keep it short and sweet.

__

Gavin opened his mouth but no words came out. _Holy fucking shit._ The android just had to spring all this on him? He was still so confused about everything and now Connor threw this nuke out into the swirling vortex that was this whole day, fucking that shit up even more than it already was! Gavin realized he had his mouth hanging open like a fucking sucker fish and snapped it shut. He shifted in his seat and looked away from the android, struggling not to freak out about the whole situation. His heart was beating so fast and it felt impossible to breathe under the android’s heavy stare. He tried to get it together but he was Gavin Reed, and Gavin Reed sucked at handling emotions. 

__

“Goodnight detective.” Connor said softly, trying not to sound disappointed. He didn’t want to cause anymore discomfort for the human than he already has. Hank was right, this was a bad idea. Connor turned to leave, meeting eyes with Hank who was standing across the room, arms crossed and face thunderous as he glared at Gavin from across the room.

__

“Plastic.” Gavin’s voice stopped him in his tracks. He turned around hopefully, fidgeting with his coin in his suit pocket. 

__

“I’ll see you tomorrow.”

__

Connor was elated. He couldn’t help the triumphant smile that spread across his face and he rocked back on his heels happily, trying to hold in his excitement. He was unaware of the bright blue glow his LED was casting, drawing the attention of the few who could see it. “See you tomorrow.” He said back after a moment, giving Gavin a small wave before spinning on his heel and walking over to Hank, who had both his eyebrows raised in a surprised expression.

__

The elder detective watched Connor clock out, his mind reeling. He’s never seen Connor react like that to anything, especially not anything as simple as a few words spoken by a jerk-faced asshole. 

__

This could be a problem. 

__

Hank looked back towards Gavin, who had already returned to his work, not giving a shit about anything else at the moment. Hank felt a small amount of foreboding creep up on him.

__

_This could be a big problem._

__

 

__

Gavin was stunned. He didn’t know what was going on or why the fuck he said that, and he couldn’t even concentrate on his work anymore. He waited until almost everyone had left, and then logged off his computer, basically useless at this point. 

__

Fuck it. He’ll just go home.

__

Gavin gathered his shit up off the desk, and slipped his right shoe onto his slightly swollen foot, ready to get the fuck out of this insane asylum and go home to his cat. Catpernicus and him always had a nightly bitch session in which they both complained about their days to each other. He had A LOT to complain about. He snatched his keys up off the edge of his desk, and flipped his computer off in the usual farewell, before heading to the clock out machines. 

__

When he got to his car, he suddenly realized he didn’t have his keys anymore, and great he fucking dropped them somewhere. Gavin started looking around, bringing out his phone and turning on his flashlight. A perfect fucking ending to the perfect fucking day.

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Gavin started walking back the way he came, only to stop 7 ft away from his car by the curb, where the storm drain was. He sighed in relief when he saw his keys, teetering dangerously on the edge of the drain. Thank fuck. 

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He walked over and snatched them up. He held them up to his eye level and shook them in punishment. “NO, bad keys, Don't fucking do that to me, you fuckers.” The keys glistened innocently under the streetlamp, and Gavin rolled his eyes at their false innocence. “Be lucky I need you.”

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Gavin brought his arm down, and turned off his cellphone, putting it back into his pocket. He moved to walk towards his car, but when he lifted his right foot to walk, something had gotten stuck on it, and it forced his foot back down. It hurt his battle wounds, and Gavin hissed. His foot _just_ stopped hurting dammit.“What the fuck!?” he asked the empty parking lot, lifting his shoe back up and seeing pink gum on the bottom of it. “Oh great!”

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He lifted his foot again, stretching the gum a little before he had to put his hurt foot back down. He tried yanking on it, but the shoe wasn’t on his foot properly and it kept slipping off. He turned around to face the curb, lifting his foot again and trying to twist the gum off while yanking up. Gavin sighed when he realized he might have to touch the gum with his bare fingers. Ew. He was too lazy to bend down and grab it with his hands at the moment anyways, so instead of doing that, he decided to try yanking it off once more, before resorting to using his hands. Gavin put his foot solidly on the ground, before kicking forward like one would to kick a soccer ball. His shoe came free and-

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Flew off his foot directly into the storm drain, bouncing off the walls on it’s way down.

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“NOO!” Gavin cried, and flew after it, which resulted in him laying face down, peering through the bars on the storm drain. He got out his phone, and turned on the flash, seeing the shoe in the middle of the drain floor. A possum was staring at him in the corner, hissing at the light and lumbering away. 

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FUUUUCK.

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Gavin yanked at the bars of the storm drain, only to find they were cemented down. “Son of BITCH!” Gavin yanked once more. It was a lost cause. 

He sighed as he got up, casting one last look at the dark depths of the storm drain where his brave shoe laid, defeated. He flipped it the bird before he walked over to his car, flinging the door open angrily after he unlocked it with the still innocent looking keys. He glared at them as he got in and started the engine, hitting the radio button on forcefully. Fucking keys. Fucking shoe getting stuck in fucking gum. Fucking Mrs. Huffle. 

Loud rock music played as he swerved out of the parking lot and started the short drive home, the mood of the music only making him angrier. He was going 90, but fuck the speed limit. He was upset. He was livid. He was filing a complaint. God, his fucking shoe! REALLY. What the hell was he going to wear tomorrow? How the hell was he going to get it back from the fucking storm drain? Why did god smite him so much? 

Feeling melodramatic, Gavin looked down at his grey sock, sighing when he saw the lack of shoe on his foot. Those were his only pair to. What the hell was he supposed to do with one fucking shoe? 

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When he finally got home, Gavin walked up the stairs to his apartment, his gait uneven. He scowled at the broken elevator, cursing Janis Charlington for breaking it in the first place, that fucking bitch. Oh Well. 

When he reached the door to his apartment, Gavin knocked lightly on it, giving Catpernicus time to stop doing whatever rule breaking activity he was doing and pretend like he had been nothing but good while Gavin was away. It was a courtesy he always gave his cat, because he was a good guy and his cat was an evil shit. "Cat, I'm home. Put away the cat nip." He called tiredly, unlocking the front door and walking in. The little beast was by the door. He stretched, giving the illusion he was unbothered and he had done nothing bad, but Gavin saw right through that bullshit. "What did you break?" 

Catpernicus peered up at him and then flicked his black tail, turning to walk away and ignore Gavin. 

Gavin wasn't about to play that game, so he scooped the cat up, intent on forcing him to cuddle. "You shit." He grinned at the offended look on the feline's face. 

After making sure there was food in his bowl so the animal could get up and eat at some point, Gavin went straight to bed. He ended up putting his foot up on a pillow and turning on his TV as he laid down, too tired to even change out of his day clothes. He still held onto Catpernicus, who was glaring at everything, though -If the cat was being honest- he didn’t mind cuddling with Gavin. The human didn't need to know that though. Gavin frowned as some sitcom came on and he thoughtlessly scratched at Catpernicus's ears, the cat starting to purr contently despite himself. 

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Finally getting comfortable, Gavin sighed as he thought back to all the stupid shit he had done all day- and that was a lot of stupid things. Not to mention the fact he was now a proud owner of one, you heard it folks, ONE, shoe. God when did he get so embarrassing? Tripping over trashcans, stubbing his toe, falling into the strong arms of an android... 

Fucking great, he couldn’t wait to think about it all on repeat instead of actually sleeping. 

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Hopefully tomorrow will be better. 

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Gavin sighed as he thought about what day two of being Connor’s partner would bring. Honestly, he wasn't sure what was going on between himself and Connor anymore. Everything he expected to happen never did and the android was so confusing, he wasn't sure about anything any more. 

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One thing he did know for sure, was that he had a lot of thinking he needed to do. 

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Maybe they could put the whole ‘I tried to kill you’ thing behind them like the android had said.

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He doubted it.

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...  
>  Still a little unsure on how this went. Hopefully it was at least a 5/10.


End file.
